s 

555 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS— BULLETIN NO. 155. 

A. C. TRUE, Director. 



AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION FOR ADULTS 
IN THE RRITISH EMPIRE. ■ 



JOHN HAMILTON, 

FARMERS' INSTITUTE SPECIALIST. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1905. 




(lass S .TTi S" 

Book QtH ^ 



768 



y. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS— BULLETIN NO. 155. 

A. C. TRUE, Director. 



S' S^ 



AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION FOR ADULTS 
IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



BY 



JOHN HAMILTON, 

FARMERS' INSTITUTE SPECIALIST. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1905. 






OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 

A. C. True, Ph. U.— Director. 

E. W. Allen, Ph. D. — Assistant Director and Editor of Experiment Station 

Record. 
W. H. Beal — Chief of Editorial Division. 

Walter H. Evans, Ph. D. — Chief of Division of Insular Stations. 
John Hamilton — Farmers' Institute Specialist. 
C. E. Johnston — Chief Clerk. 

editorial departments. 

E. W. Allen, Ph. D., and II. W. Lawson — Chemistry. Dairy Farming, and 

Dairying. 
W. H. Beat.— Agricultural Physics and Engineering. 
Walter H. Evans, Ph. D.^ — Botany and Diseases of Plants. 
C. F. Langworthy, Ph. D. — Foods and Animal Production. 
J. I. Schulte — Field Crops. 
E. V. Wilcox, Ph. D. — Entomology and Veterinary Science. 

C. B. Smith — Horticulture. 

D. J. Crosby — Agricultural Institutions. 

(2) 



LETTER OE TRANSMITTAL 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

OrricE t)r Experiment Stx^tions, 

Washington, D. C, May 10, 1905. 

Sir: The act of Congress making provision for the appointment of 
a farmers*' institute specialist in the Department of Agriculture 
defines his duties to be " to investigate and report upon the organiza- 
tion and progress of farmers' institutes in the several States and 
Territories, and upon similar organizations in foreign countries, with 
special suggestions of plans and methods for making such organiza- 
tions more effective for the dissemination of the results of the work of 
the Department of Agriculture and the experiment stations, and of 
improved methods of agricultural j^ractice." 

The condition of the farmers' institute work in the States and Terri- 
tories of this country has been to some extent ascertained, and its 
principal features have been presented in the several reports of the 
institute specialist to the Director of the Office of Experiment 
Stations and in circulars and bulletins of information issued by the 
Office. Suggestions have also been offered, accompanied with plans 
ai;d methods for rendering the institutes more effective for the dis- 
semination of the results of the work of the Department of Agricul- 
ture and the experiment stations. 

Compliance with the remaining specification of duty enjoined by the 
act of Congress, namely, '' to investigate and report upon the organiza- 
tion and progress of similar institutions in foreign countries," has 
been delayed owing to the difficulties attending the conducting of for- 
eign correspondence and to the pressure of other duties connected with 
the work of the institute specialist. 

The accompanying manuscript, entitled "Agricultural Instruction 
for Adults in the British Empire," gives the result of such investi- 
tions as the farmers' institute specialist of this Office has been able to 
make respecting the methods that have been adopted by the various 
governments included in the British Empire in the dissemination of 
agricultural information among their rural populations. 

(3) 



Ill some instances it has seeiiied necessary, because of the rehition 
that unites this form of instruction with the general system of public 
education adopted by the respective governments, to discuss with some 
particularity the higher institutions of learning, at least so far as 
their work is associated with that of agricultural instruction of adult 
farmers. 

The manuscript is recommended for publication as Bulletin 155 of 
this Office. 

Respectfully, A. C. True, 

Director. 
Hon. James Wilson, 

Secretary of Agriculture. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Introtluction 7 

Australia 11 

New South Wales 12 

Queensland 12 

South Atistralia 13 

Tasmania 15 

Victoria 18 

Western Australia .. 23 

Canada , _ 23 

British Columbia 24 

Manitoba 33 

New Brunswick 35 

Northwest Territories . 48 

Ontario 50 

Quebec 61 

Great Britain . . 65 , 

Ireland 84 

(5) 



INTRODUCTION. 



The position that agricuUiire occupies in the JBritish Empire is one 
of first importance, and for many years the Government has given 
special attention to its development. The unusual interest manifested 
is no doubt partly due to the fact that those who control British leg- 
islation are, for the most part, landed proprietors, and are therefore 
personally injured by the decline of this industry and profited by its 
proper advancement. Aside from this motive of self-interest, there 
is also the great national problem of feeding the multitude of work- 
ing men who are engaged in manufacturing occupations throughout 
the British Isles. 

Special attention by the Government to this industry has been neces- 
sary also by reason of the diverse character of the British possessions. 
Located as they are in every continent, with every variety of soil, cli- 
mate, and production, with densely populated districts, as England 
and Ireland, and those sparsely settled just emerging from primi- 
tive conditions, as portions of Australia and the Northwest Terri- 
tories of Canada, the British Government has been compelled to 
carefully study the entire field of agricultural production, and devise 
means whereby the interests of this great industry can best be ad- 
vanced in all of the countries under her control, and endeavor to put 
in operation such agencies as would most effectually assist in increas- 
ing agricultural production and in economizing its cost. 

Her problems have been to discover how in her older settled districts 
the fertility of her lands may be increased while producing abundant 
crops, and in her newer provinces how primitive soils may be econom- 
ically brought to tillage conditions and their productive capacity 
not only be maintained but gradually increased. 

The conclusion reached years ago by Great Britain's wisest states- 
men was that the only solution of the question of improving agricul- 
ture suiRciently to enable those who pursue it as a calling to maintain 
themselves in comfort for all time to come, and at the same time to 
produce a surplus sufficient for the use of those engaged in other occu- 
pations, lies in the proper education of those who conduct its opera- 
tions. 

Accordingly the Government established schools and colleges of 
agriculture at home many years ago, and has since encouraged their 
erection in all of her dependencies until now agricultural education 

(7) 



8 

in some form or other is given in almost every country under British 
rule. State deiDartments of agriculture have l)een established and 
equipped Avitli scientific apparatus, and officered b}' expert officials 
who devote all of their time to the interests of agriculture. Univer- 
sities, colleges, normal schools, academies, secondary schools, com- 
mon schools, and numerous special classes are everywhere in opera- 
tion. In almost all of them the giving of instruction in agriculture 
is made obligatory. 

Although the purpose of this publication is to present the methods 
in use in j^roviding for the education in agricultiu^e of the adult rural 
population througli the agency of itinerant teachers, it has been 
found that this instruction work is in many instances so combined 
with the system of general education that prevails as to l)e practically 
inseparable from it. In some of the countries, for example, the insti- 
tutions for Idgher education engage in the dual service of instructing 
the youth in agriculture in fixed schools, as luiiversities, colleges, and 
high schools, and also in the Avork of carrying information to the 
adult agricultural population by means of traveling schools and 
itinerant teachers who visit localities, hold institute meetings, and 
instruct temporary classes in special farming subjects. 

AVhere this method is adopted as in England, it has been neces- 
sary, in order to its ])roper understanding, to give with considerable 
particularity the details of the entire educational system, and also 
the connection that exists between the form of instruction conducted 
by the universities and colleges, and that organized and operated by 
the district governments. 

The giving of instruction in agriculture to adults by itinerant 
methods is no longer an experiment in foreign countries, and work 
in this direction is regarded by educators and the public generally 
as being equally important with that performed in the class rooms 
of the colleges and higher technical institutions. It has become a 
recognized part of their educational system, as necessary as the col- 
lege, the high school, or the university, and the character and quali- 
fications of the instructors engaged in this form of education are in 
most of the countries fully equal to those of the professors in the old- 
established institutions. 

The high estimation in wdiich peripatetic instruction is held abroad 
is shoW'U by the following memoranda on this subject by the Right 
Hon. Horace Plunkett, vice-president of the dei^artment of agri- 
culture and technical instruction for Ireland, who was a member of 
the recess committee of Parliament appointed to visit continental 
countries and make investigations and report upon the various sys- 
tems of agricultural education in use in these countries. He says: 

If there is one feature of agricultural education which, having been tested 
to the utmost in every country of the world, has stood that test better than any 



other, it Is the itinerant instructor. In our searches, at the time of the recess 
committee, this was a feature which in every country the demonstrator and 
educationist laid stress upon as showing, invariably, the mo.^t fruitful results, 
and all of the experience of tlie department since has confirmed us in tlie faith, 
whicli experience l)otli in Enj^land, Scotland, the Continent, and in Canada and 
America had implanted in our minds. 

The methods in use in the British Empire for disseminating agri- 
cultural information among the rural population are worthy of care- 
ful study by the farmers' institute workers and* other agricultural 
teachers of the United States. They are the result of many years 
of experiment in agricultural education by the most capable and 
practical agriculturists and scientific experts of the Old World. 
Out of this long experience and careful study there have been evolved 
the present forms of agricultural education that have stood the test 
of years of actual operation, and have had their value demonstrated 
by the results that have been accomplished in the improvement of 
agriculture wherever they have been fairly tried. They have su})- 
])lemented the elementary and primitive forms by which farmers 
undertook to instruct themselves through neighborhood meetings 
for conference and exchange of views, substituting for these dis- 
})utatious methods, which too often left the audience in doul)t and 
the contestants unconvinced, local and itinerant schools of instruc- 
tion, taught by capable specialists of acknowledged attainment and 
experience, whose statements are substantiated by results secured 
on experiment farms and demonstration fields. 

In preparing this bulletin for the use of farmers' institute workers 
of the United States, the value of the methods adopted by the several 
governments in providing for agricultural education and for dis- 
tributing agricultural information, as compared with those in use 
in this country, is so nnich a matter of individual judgment that no 
discussion of that feature has l)een attempted, it being thought best 
to simply collect the facts and leave the determination of their value 
to the individual student who may wish to perfect the methods in 
use in his own State or locality. 

A comparison of the farmers' institute systems that prevail 
throughout the United States w^ith the methods of instruction foimd 
to be most satisfactory in the countries comprising the British 
Empire wnll no doubt convince the student that there is room for 
improvement in our American methods, and perhaps will induce 
some of those in charge of the institute work in the United States 
to adopt so much of that wdiich has been successful abroad as our 
(;onditions and circumstances seem to justify. 

John Hamilton. 



AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION FOR ADULTS IN 
THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



AUSTRALIA. 



In order to properly Tinclerstand and appreciate the v^alue of the 
methods used in Australia in reaching the rural population with suit- 
able information adapted to the diverse agricultural conditions that 
exist throughout the Commonwealth, knowledge of the variety of 
crops grown, the extent of the population, and the vast area of terri- 
tory to be covered is necessary. 

The six States that compose the Commonwealth had in 1901 a popu- 
lation of 3,77:^,370 and a total area of 2,973,07(5 square miles. This 
is about equal in extent to that portion of the United States which 
lies east of the Rocky Mountains. The sparse settlement of the coun- 
try is better realized by comparing the areas of the several States 
with that of Ohio, which contains 41,060 square miles and has a popu- 
lation of 4,15r,545 : 

Area in 
State: square miles. 

New South Wales 310,700 

Queensland 008, 497 

Victoria 87. 884 

Western Australia 975,920 

South Australia 90.3,690 

Tasmania 26. 385 

Total 2, 97.3, 076 

The eastern section has an abundance, and in some localities a 
superabundance, of rainfall, but the interior and western parts are 
very deficient in this respect, the annual rainfall varying in these 
sections from 20 inches to almost nothing. The agriculture of the 
country, therefore, necessarily varies according to the locality. The 
east, with its mild and moist climate, the annual rainfall averaging 
from 50 to 80 inches, is devoted largely to the production of cattle 
and sheep ; the south and west to the growing of grain. 

Each State has a department of agriculture engaged in endeavoring 
to solve the particular agricultural problems that are peculiar to it. 
Among these is that of disseminating information among farming 

(11) 



12 

people of a kind that will aid them in overcoming the obfstacles that 
confront them in their agricultural operations. In undertaking this, 
various methods have been adopted by the several States, the manifest 
intention being to adopt such methods as are best adapted to the 
jDeculiar conditions that prevail as to climate, crops, and population. 

The following table giving the acreage under cultivation in each 
of the States and the percentage of each crop grown exhibits the 
diversity of condition that prevails, and is of interest as showing the 
variety of products that can be grown in this island continent : 

Acreafje and pcrcentauc of each crop grown in Australia. 





New South 
Wales. 


Victoria. 


Queens- 
land. 


South 
Australia. 


Western 
Australia. 


Tasmania. 


Cultivated aci 


■eage 


1,426,166 


2,165,693 


52,527 


1,821,137 


84,516 


64,328 




per cent. - 

...do 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

do... 

do...- 

do.... 

do.... 


Wheat 

Corn 


58.4 

8.8 

.3 

1.2 

1.4 

22.7 

.4 

.9 

5.9 


68.6 
.3 
3.5 
8.6 
1.8 
14.3 
.9 


12.5 

26.2 

1.8 

.2 

2.5 

14.0 

.5 

26.3 

16.0 


81.3 


45.4 

.1 

2.1 

2.1 

1.5 

42.3 
1.7 


28.6 
.1 


Barley 

Oats ._.. 

Potatoes 

Hay 

Vines 


.7 
.9 
A 
13.9 
.9 


3.4 
20.0 
12.0 
18.8 


Sugar cane . . 




Other crops . 


3.0 


1.9 


4.8 


17.1 


Total.... 


100.0 


100.0 


100.0 


100.0 


100.0 


100.0 



There is no national system of farmers' institutes in Australia. 
The organization and control of the work is altogether committed to 
the agricultural departments of the several States. These depart- 
ments have not united upon a single method, but each has formulated 
a separate and distinct system. 

In order, therefore, that the various methods in use may l)e clearly 
presented, it becomes necessary to take them separately and discuss 
them under the names of the States with which each is identified. 

NEW SOUTH WALES. 

Nothing corresponding to the farmers' institute system of the 
United States is in operation in New South Wales, 



QUEENSLAND. 

Queensland has no system of instruction for farmers corresponding 
to that of the farmers' institutes of the United States. There is a 
State department of agriculture and there are local agricultural 
societies, but the function of the local societies is principally confined 
te the holding of an annual show. The State department occasion- 
ally sends out one of its members to address an agricultural meeting, 
but this work of instruction is not organized so as to be a part of 
the educational system. The department, however, is equipped with 
a corps of specialists, who give advice to farmers and visit various 



13 

sections to study the agricultural conditions that exist, with a view 
to suggesting methods of improvement. This force consists of the 
l)rincipal of the Queensland Agricultural College, the agricultural 
chemist, the botanist, entomologist, an instructor and assistant in- 
structor in fruit culture, a viticulturist, tobacco expert, instructor in 
coffee culture, a quarantine inspector, the director of the botanical 
gardens, the manager of the State nursery at Kamerunga, the man- 
ager of the State farm at Westbrook, manager of the State farm at 
Hermitage, manager of the State farm at Biggenden, manager of the 
State farm at Gindie, and the chief inspector of stock. 

The honorable secretary of agriculture for Queensland, in his re- 
port for the year 1901, in connnenting upon the lack of organization 
for agricultural improvement in that State, makes the following 
statement : 

The two causes assigned for the satisfactory condition of agriculture in the 
more progressive States of Europe are the extent to which cooperation and 
comhinatlou prevail among the farmers and the extent to which the principles 
of scientific tillage are diffused among them. 

Queensland has many agricultural societies, hut there seems to be no ma- 
chinery by which they may be brought to combine readily for any purpose ; no 
central body empowered to speak in behalf of all or even a majority of the 
societies has yet been called into existence. 

It is to be added that, beyond holding shows and bestowing prizes for exhibits 
not exclusively agricultural, these societies have done little or nothing to repro- 
duce here in anj' fullness the continental model. 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 

In South Australia the work of disseminating agricultural infor- 
mation among farmers is in the hands of an agricultural bureau. 
This bureau is a subordinate division in the department of agricul- 
ture and consists of a board of twelve members, who hold office by 
appointment and serve without salary. Each member of this cen- 
tral bureau or board is a specialist distinguished for service in some 
important line of agricultural industry. 

The bureau upon application of at least six residents of a district 
is authorized to appoint subordinate branches, distributing them 
throughout the country at points not nearer than 12 miles from any 
established branch. The membership of a branch is limited to 15, 
but there can be an unlimited number of honorary members. The 
difference between the two is that the honorary members are not 
eligiljle to hold office, to he appointed as official delegates to the 
anmuil congress of l)ranches, or to receive free the Monthly Journal 
of the department. 

The members of the branches are appointed by the central bureau, 
known as the " council of agriculture." Beyond this, and in being 



14 

debarred from discussing purely political questions, they are self- 
governing. 

The branches usually meet monthly, except during the harvesting 
seasons. At these meetings they discuss papers prepared by their 
own members or criticise pai)ers by other branches or reports of the 
departmental work and experiments. No special officer or officers 
of the state department are appointed to visit these meetings, but 
whenever possible the different experts attached to 4he dep'artment 
do Avhat they can in this direction. 

In addition to the ordinary meetings, neighboring branches in vari- 
ous districts combine to hold a conference to which the department 
ahvays endeavors to send one or more representatives. The branches 
also arrange for field trials of implements, shows of produce and 
stock, pruning demonstrations, meetings at homesteads, factories, 
etc., wdiere information of value is likely to be obtained. 

p]ach year in the spring a general congress of the bureaus is held in 
Adelaide, and the department provides free railway transportation 
for tw^o representatives from each branch. This gathering extends, 
as a rule, over three days, and occurs on the occasion of the spring 
show of live stock and implements, held under the auspices of the 
Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society. 

Generally the bureau may be termed a cooperative organization for 
the dissemination of information through the interchange of ex- 
periences of the members. The branches find their own meeting rooms, 
light, etc., while the department finds stationery and postage, and pro- 
vides such agricultural literature as is available and also arranges 
at different times for experiments with manures, seeds, sj^raying of 
trees, etc. 

No member of the bureau receives pay in any shape or form from 
the department, and the members of the subordinate branchej^ like- 
wise perform such service as the organization requires without 
compensation. 

The bureau has been in existence since 1888. In 1899 there were 
1,400 active members connected with the various branches, and in 
1901 106 branches were reported. 

The twelfth annual conference, held in 1900, was attended by 215 
representatives of the branches. The secretaries furnish reports of 
the monthly meetings to the department. In 1901 806 such reports 
were made to the central bureau for that year. These are condensed 
and published in a monthly journal called the Journal of Agriculture 
and Industry, a copy of which is sent free each month to every mem- 
ber of each branch. The membership are thus kept in touch with 
what is being done by the various branches elsewhere throughout 
the State. 



15 

The State ajJi^ropriates for the use of the bureau annually about 
$4,000, which is used in the publication of the official journal, for post- 
age expenses incurred by the several branches, and for other adminis- 
trative items. About $2,500 additional is also appropriated for sal- 
aries of the secretary, clerks, and other employees engaged by the 
bureau in administering its work. 

A feature of the system tlint is distinctive is the gathering and pub- 
lishing of the papers and addresses presented before the various 
branches in a monthly journal, which is distributed to the active mem- 
bership in all of the branches throughout the State. By this means 
there is kept up a degree of interest and mutual helpfulness that has 
been found to be of great service. 

The practice of assembling representatives from all of the branches 
in a general conference each year is also worthy of careful considera- 
tion. Perhaps the most radical departure from the methods usually 
adopted in the forming of local organizations is in the " appointing " 
of the active membership by the central bureau and limiting the num- 
ber to 15 in any one branch. By this means those responsible for 
the work of the branches are selected from among the most successful 
and intelligent farmers. This insures efficient administration. At 
the same time the system of honorary membership permits the gen- 
eral farming public also to have the advantage of the educational 
work of the association. 

TASMANIA. 

The methods employed for the improvement of agriculture in Tas- 
mania are much the same as those in use in South Australia. Each 
has a central administrative board and a system of branch boards 
extending throughout the rural districts with limited membership 
and holding monthly meetings for the discussion of practical matters 
i-elating to agriculture. The organization was created by act of Par- 
liament in 1891 and is officially known as the council of agriculture. 
It consists of eleven members elected by the local branches for a 
period of two years. The president of the council is chosen by the 
members from among their number. The secretary is appointed by 
the governor on the reconnnendation of the council and must not be a 
member of that body. The council is required to meet at least once 
every two months, and the proceedings of these meetings are pub- 
lished in the official journal of the council. 

The act provides that the powers and duties of the council shall be — 

(1) To appoint boards of agriculture, nominated by five persons in any dis- 
trict in which no board of agriculture exists, and to maintain correspondence 
and cooperation with all boards of agriculture with a view to advance the inter- 
ests of agriculture generally. 

(2) To collect and publish, by means of the press and by aid of the boards of 
agriculture, information of every kind calculated to prove beneficial to colonists 



16 

engaged in agricultural, horticultural, pastoral, and other pursuits connected 
with the culture of the soil. 

(3) To employ from time to time, with the approval of the governor in 
council, persons competent to give instruction of a practical character in 
matters appertaining to agricultural or horticultural science, and to arrange 
for occasional lectures on sulijects of interest to cultivators of the soil. 

(4) To furnish, under restrictions and regulations authorized by the council 
and approved by the minister, analyses of soils and manures free of cost to 
agriculturists. 

(5) To supply, under the direction of an expert, small parcels of seeds, 
plants, trees, and manures for exijeri mental purposes to such persons as are 
willing to undertake the conduct of experiments in accordance with regulations 
promulgated by the council. 

(6) To arrange for holding occasionally an agricultural congress, at which 
the council and the boards of agriculture may be represented, for the purpose of 
advancing generally the objects of the council. 

(7) To furnish annually to the minister, for presentation to I'arlianient, 
a general report of the proceedings of the council, together with an audited 
account of the receipts and expenditures for the year. 

In carrying out the provisions of the above act the members of the 
council direct the expenditures voted bv Parliament in aid of agri- 
culture, and also pass upon the (jualihcations of persons recouimended 
for membership in the various branches, receive reports of the pro- 
ceedings of the meetings of the branch boards, and publish 
abstracts of these rej^orts in the Monthly Agricultural Gazette, whicli 
it edits and distributes free to the members of the various l)ranches. 
The board likewise has prepared from time to time and publishes 
circulars of information and pamphlets upon agricultural subjects, 
wdiich it supplies to the membership free of cost. 

The council has now in its employ four persons wdiom it sends 
out to lecture before the branch meetings. One gives instruction 
in dairy husbandry, one in poultry rearing, one is an entomological 
expert, and the fourth lectures upon agricultural chemistry. These 
lecturers are employed by the year and are paid by the State from 
appropriations made for that purpose. 

In addition to the work of lecturing before the branch boards these 
experts are sent to give advice to individual farmers whenever 
requests are made wdiich the council deems worthy of sj^ecial atten- 
tion. When visits of this character are made notice is usually pub- 
lished in advance throughout the neighborhoods where the visits oc- 
cur, and farmers from the surrounding country are invited to be 
present and witness whatever takes place. For some years a traveling 
dairy school has been in ojieration, e(iuipped and sent out under the 
direction of the council. The conditions u]:)on wdiich a course of in- 
struction in dairying is granted are the following: The committee 
applying— 

must provide transportation of the plant from the nearest railroad station; 
must furnish free a building at least 20 by l.j feet in which to work the sepa- 



17 

rator ; also a daily supply of 50 gallons of milk; a laborer to assist in the 
rough work, and a sufticiency of clean water for washing the butter and elean- 
ing up. 

The society nuist nominate 10 pupils, either male or female, for a course of 
special instruction. The dairy will be in operation ten days at each [)lace in 
the district, and will o[»erate at all places required in that district before leav- 
ing for another. The product of the milk will be returned to the society com- 
mittee. 

Branch Boards. 

The branch boards are organized and governed, as has been stated, 
in much the same way as those of South Australia, except that in this 
State the membership is not limited, but the recommendation of the 
council to the local board is that '' twelve is a sufficient number for 
administrative purposes." Monthly meetings are required and regu- 
lar reports to the central council. Occasional conferences, composed 
of a number of boards in neighboring districts are frequently held, 
and a general convention of delegates from all of the boards assem- 
bles annually at the capital. 

How TO Form a Branch Board. 

The following method of procedure has been recommended by the 
council for the formation of a local branch board: 

An active, progressive, and ijractical farmer resident in any district at a rea- 
sonable distance from any existing branch board, who may desire to assist him- 
self and his brother farmers, should connnunicate with four or five other resi- 
dents of the neighborhood and arrange for holding a meeting, preferably at his 
own house. 

When met together they can select any number of farmers within an area 
not too large to act with them. The names and addresses of the gentlemen 
chosen should be sent to the secretary of the central council for submission to 
the council for approval. After approval the secretary will send to the secre- 
tary of the branch board a minute book and the necessary stationery and instruc- 
tions for the working of the branch. The board must provide a place of meet- 
ing at its own cost. When once started a sufficient number of copies of the 
Journal of the Council of Agriculture and such other publications as may be 
issued by the council will be forwarded for free distribution among the members 
of the branch, and all seeds, plants, etc., distributed by the council will be sent 
through the branch and every facility offered for carrying on its work. 

The powers and duties of the branch boards, as prescribed by the 
central council, are as follows : 

(1) Record names and addresses of persons to whom seeds, cuttings, plants, 
etc., have been or may be supi)lied for experiment. 

(2) Ascertain if any reports are due from persons to whom plants, cuttings, 
seeds, etc., have been distributed. 

(3) Ascertain if any strange or alien plants or fungi, insects, or other pests 
exist in the district; if unknown, procure specimens and forward to the council 
for identification, if possible. 

30372— No. 155—05 m 2 



18 

(4) Record any means adopted for eradicating pests and results. 

(5) Record observations upon all kinds of crops cultivated in the district, 
weather, rainfall during the month, character of soil (where new kinds of crops 
are cultivated), progress, and prospects. 

(0) Inquire whether any diseases or ailments exist among live stock in the 
district. 

.(7) Report all observations to the council, in order that they may be included 
in- the periodical reports. 

(8) Consider any suggestions calculated to advance the prosperity of the dis- 
trict. 

(9) Send as soon as possible report of all practical conclusions, digest of dis- 
cussions, papers read, etc., to the secretary of the council for communication 
by him to the press, and for publication in the Journal of the Council. 

The branches from time to time recommend to the council matters 
of importance and of interest to agriculture for its consideration. If 
the council approves the recommendation, it transmits the same to the 
government for legislative action. 

In 1903 there were 48 branch Ijodies in the State, all holding 
monthly meetings and sending in reports regularly to the central 
council for publication. 

By means of these boards the council of agriculture is able to reach 
the leading farmers of the State with information that is of value and 
to secure their cooperation in its eti'orts to procure legislative assist- 
ance for the adA'ancement of the agricultural interests of the State. 
The fact that the membership of ihe several boards is composed of 
the most influential and intelligent farmers in each connnunity adds 
very greatly to the strength of any reconnnendation that may come 
up to the council for its approval, and the frequent reports that are 
made of the condition of agriculture and its needs in the various dis- 
tricts, published and distributed to all of the branches, provides an 
educative means that might well be adopted by every country that is 
endeavoring to assist agricultural people. 

VICTORIA. 

Short courses of instruction in agriculture for farmers and farmers 
sons Avere inaugurated in 1002 by the director of agriculture for Vic- 
toria. The classes were to be held during the winter months, as being 
less likely to then interfere with farming work than at any other 
season. In organizing the classes, use was made of existing agricul- 
tural societies in the several districts, whose cooperation Avas solicited 
by inviting them to secure the names of farmers and farmers' sons or 
persons Avorking on farms who Avere desirous of having short courses 
established in their district. 

The first class Avas organized at Tatura. August 26, 1902. The 
course extended through tw^o weeks. Three classes only Avere held 
during that year. 



19 

In 1903 there were six classes and the courses were extended to four 
months. The average attendance of students at the several points 
was 4:2, 25, 19, 47, 35, and 20. These averages do not include the 
numerous visitors who were present at most of the meetings. 

In 190J: classes were held in seven centers, each class continuing four 
weeks, with an average daily attendance at each center of 55, 38, 33, 
2G, G5, 35, and 52. Eighteen lecturers were employed in giving 
instruction, each representing some specialty in agriculture. The 
meetings were held during the afternoon hours, with an occasional 
lantern lecture in the evening. 

At the completion of each course there is an examination, any pupil 
being at liberty, however, to take it or not,* as he prefers. If he elects 
to take it, and passes, a certificate of the fact that he has passed is 
given to him, and he is then in position to contest for certain prizes 
that are offered for the best examination papers presented. 

The following schedule of regulations prescribed for the short 
courses of instruction for farmers and farmers' sons, held in 1903, in 
the towns of Horsham, Boort, Kyneton, Ballarat, Geelong, Sheppar- 
ton, Maffra, and Warrnambool, explains the conditions under Avhich 
these classes are conducted: 

Instruction will continue for a period of four weeks in each center. 

Three lectures will be delivered in the afternoon of each day for five days a 
week. 

No charge will be made for instruction. 

Farmers and farmers' sons, or men who have worked at least one year on the 
land, are eligible for admission. 

Those attending may be of any age over 10 years. 

No entrance examination will be held. 

A final examination in every subject will be held, but attendance at this 
examination will be optional. 
^Those who pass the final examination with credit will be awarded a certificate. 

The Australian Natives' Association will present a gold medal to the most 
successful student of all those attending the short courses of instruction. 

A free library, consisting of approved text-books, will be available, under 
regulations, during the month at each center. 

Classes will be formed at the above-mentioned towns if the following condi- 
tions are complied with : 

(1) At least 40 eligible students must be enrolled before May 15. 

(2) The agricultural society or some local body must bear all local expenses, 
such as providing a suitable hall, advertising in local papers, etc. 

If the above conditions are not complied with no class will be held in that 
particular center this year. 

These classes are not intended for local students only. Any farmer or 
farmer's son in the State of Victoria may attend. 

Arrangements have I)een made with the railway department that return 
tickets available for one month will be issued to those traveling to attend the 
classes at holiday-excursion fares. 



20 

Such tickets will be obtainable on presenting a certificate to the station master, 
signed by the secretary of agriculture, stating that the passenger is a student 
proceeding to attend a course of instruction at one of the centers. 

The secretaries of agricultural societies will prepare a list of respectable and 
comfortable lodgings. 

Intending students should, consequently, correspond with the secretaries of 
agricultural societies regarding rooms. 

A comfortable room with board can be had for 17s. to £1 a week in each 
center. 

During the course at Geelong instruction will be given in analytical chemistry 
and wool sorting for three hours in the forenoon, viz, from 10 a. m. to 1 p. m., 
during five days in the week. This addition to the course is for the purpose of 
occupying the whole time of the students who come from a distance and lodge 
in the town. Consequently those who attend from other parts of the State 
should select Geelong. 

As accommodation is limited for analytical work and wool sorting, preference 
will be given, first, to students coming from a distance; and, secondly, to those 
who travel to Geelong daily by train. 

A charge of 6s. will be made for chemical ai)paratus, payable only by students 
who take the class in analytical chemistry. 

The following programme of a four-weeks' course of the agricul- 
tural class held at Nhill shows the order in which the several topics 
are presented: 

PROGRAMME OF LECTURES. 

First week. 
March. 
Tuesday, 1, 3-4 p. m. Introductory lecture on the principles of manuring. 
Wednesday, 2, 10.30 a. m. Land surveying, stack and dam measurement. 
2-3 p. m. Farmyard manure. 

3-4 p. m. Introductory lecture on principles of chemistry. 
4-5 p. m. Insect pests and plant diseases. 
Thursday, 3, 10.30 a. m. Land surveying, stack and dam measurement. 
2-3 p. m. Lime and its functions in agriculture. 
3-4 p.m. Theoretical chemistry. 
4-5 p. m. Insect pests and plant diseases. 
Friday, 4, 10.30 a. m. Land surveying, stack and dam measurement. 
2-3 p. m. How to cultivate for wheat growing. 
3-4 p. m. Theoretical chemistry. 
4-5 p. m. Insect pests and plant diseases. 

Second week. 

Monday, 7, 2-3 p. m. Commei'cial fertilizers. 
3-4 p.m. Theoretical chemistry. 
4-5 p. m. Valuation of artificial manures. 
Tuesday, 8, 10 a. m.-l p. m. Demonstration of breaking and handling horses. 
2-3 p. m. Theoretical chemistry. 
3-5 p. m. Veterinary science. 
Wednesday, 9, 10 a. m.-l p. m. Demonstration of breaking and handling horses. 
2-3 p. m. Theoretical chemistry. 
3-5 p.m. Veterinary science. 
8-10 p. m. Veterinary science. 



21 

Thursday, 10. 10 a. m.-l p. m. Demonstration of cattle spaying. 
2-0 p. ni. Manures for the northern ai'eas. 
3-4 p. ni. Agricultural chemistry. 
4-5 p. ni. Seeds — structure and development. 
Friday, 11, --3 p. ni. Rotations and their possibilities in the north. 
3-4 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 
4-5 p.m. The plant — stem, bud, leaves, and their functions. 

Third week, 

Monday, 14. 2-3 p. m. The principles of stock feeding. 
3-4 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

4-5 p. m. Flower.s — arrangement, structure, and fertilization. 
Tuesday, 15, 2-3 p. m. Food requirements of the working horse. 
3^ p.m. Agricultural cliemistry. 
4—5 p. m. Fruit — structure and methods of seeding. 
Wednesday. IG, 10 a. m.-l ]). m. Care of foals — treatment of feet. 
2-3 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

3-5 J), m. Importance of poultry industry, locality, etc. 
Thursday. 17, 10 a, m.-l p. m. Shoeing, surgical shoes, fitting, etc. 
2-3 J), m. Agricultural chemistry, 
3-5 p. m. Breeds of ])oultry, food and feeding, etc. 
Friday, 18, 2-3 p. m. Agricultural chenustry. 

3-5 p. m. Poultry diseases — cause and cure; chickens, etc. 
8-10 p. m. The poultry industry. 

Fourth week. 

Monday. 21, 2-3 p. m. Diseases of cereals. 

3-4 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

4-5 p. m. Diseases of cereals. 
Tuesday, 22, 2-3 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

3-5 p. m. Demonstrations in poultry dressing. 

8-10 p.m. Demonstrations in poultry dressing. 
Wednesday, 23, 2-3 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

3-5 p. m. Sheep breeding, wool shearing, preparation. 
Thursday. 24, 2-3 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

3-5 p. m. Large clips, skirting, rolling, etc. 
Friday, 25, 2-3 p. m. Agricultural chemistry. 

3-5 p. m. Small or farmers' clips, classing, etc. 

A report by the officer intrusted with the management of the 
classes for the year 1904 contains the following statement: 

I have been much impressed Ity the evident desire of the students at all cen- 
ters to learn. The lectures were closely followed and notes made by the ma- 
jority of the students. * * * It is not too much to assume that the short 
course system of lectures has proven a success. Thi'ee years only has It been 
on trial, and yet it is safe to say that it has thoroughly connnended itself to the 
practical mind of the farmer. 

The director of the agricultural department of Victoria, in discuss- 
ing the subject of agricultural education in his annual report of the 



22 

department for 1904, takes up tlie question of the education of the 
adult rural population along agricultural lines. lie states that — 

The department of agriculture has for years liad otHcers ou the staff whose 
duty it has beeu to give single lectures ou agricultural subjects to meetings of 
farmers held under the auspices of agricultural societies. This work, although 
useful and interesting, can not be called very educational, as the information 
given in one lecture does not lead to a better understanding of the next. To 
meet this difficulty I have had classes of instruction for farmers and farmers' 
sons, extending over several weeks, held during the last two seasons, and this 
winter the classes are more popular than ever. * * * This metliod of in- 
struction has come to stay in Victoria and will extend over the whole of Aus- 
tralia. Inquiries have reached me from other States, and it is only a matter of 
time before Australian agriculturists will i-ealize that this is the best method of 
instruction for the greatest number which can be had at the least sacrifice of time 
and money. However excellent this system may be, the winter season as a rule 
is the only time farmers and their sons can devote their days to lectures and 
study. To meet all demands for classes during the winter months the dejjart- 
ment would be reiiuired to maintain for a whole year the staff of lecturers, who 
would work for three or four months, only, or depend upon picking up suitable 
men for the work during the winter season. 

Engaging men specially can be done to a small extent, but if it were attempted 
on any large scale failure would be the I'esult. I, therefore, after a great deal of 
consideration and consultation, matured a plan of keeping the lecturers employed 
throughout the year. The method I propose is to hold evening classes of two 
weeks' duration at farmhouses, the number of farmers attending at any center 
to be from 10 to 12 and the classes to l)e held the year round, excepting in the 
winter time, when the officers would be engaged at the farmers' classes held in 
each township, asi is being done at present. 

The lectures would be held in the evening, say one and one-half hours' lecture 
and one-half hour devoted to the asking and answering of questions. Four lec- 
turers would be required ; one, who would arrive on a Monday and stay three 
days, giving lectures and discussing such subjects as manuring suitable to the 
district, tillage, rotation of crops, and kindred topics. On the fourth day he 
would leave for another center, say 20 miles away, and would be replaced by an 
officer competent to lecture on farm stock, their breeding and management. In 
two days the second lecturer would leave, being replaced by a third, who might 
lecture upon poultry. Two days later this lecturer would be replaced by a 
fourth, who would lecture on other agricultural subjects. The course of instruc- 
tion at this farmhouse would then terminate after ten days' duration. 

Four classes, therefore, would be in progress at one time in farmhouses 
sufficiently far apart to prevent overlapping, and yet near enough for the officer 
to reach the next center and lecture on the same day. 

I proi)ose that these farmhouse classes should be tried in August, when the 
farmers' classes held for a month in townships are finished and the officers are 
available to do the work. 

By this method it is proposed to overcome the difficulty that now 
confronts institute directors in almost all countries — that of securing 
a sufficient number of capable men for the work of instruction. By 
employing them for the entire year institute teaching will become a 
profession, and many will doubtless find it to their advantage to pre- 
pare themselves for it and adopt it as a career. Day schools for adult 



23 

farmers during^ the winter months and night schools during the sum- 
mer months is a possible solution of the difficulty. 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 

No organized system of agricultural instruction for adult farmers 
has been adopted in AVestern Australia. The department of agricul- 
ture occasionally sends out experts to farmers' meetings and to indi- 
viduals who apply for specific information. Ill addition to these a 
course of lectures on agricultural subjects is given by officers of the 
agricultural department during the winter months in the museum of 
the department of agriculture at Perth. 

The course for 1004 extended from June 3 to September 2, one 
lecture each week. 

The acting director of agriculture states that — 

Farms and orchards are visited by the officers of the department and Instruc- 
tion given on the spot. In the centers of the various farming districts lectures 
are given at irregular intervals. At these lectures discussion is encouraged, 
and when possible they are illustrated by models, views, or lime-light lantern 
slides. 

CANADA. 

The farmers' institutes of Canada are not conducted under the 
direction of the general government, but each provincial territorial 
authority organizes its work independently. 

The Provinces and territories having institute organizations are 
the Northwest Territories — British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, 
Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. 

The Dominion department of agriculture has undertaken to aid 
the Provinces in their institute work by acting in an advisory ca- 
pacity. The live-stock commissioner of the dej^artment is the offi- 
cial to whom has been committed the work of furnishing expert 
advice to the several Provinces and of aiding the institutes so far as 
the general government has gone in giving this movement official 
recognition. 

In order to encourage the ^^rovincial directors, the Dominion de- 
partment agrees, on condition that certain forms of institute organi- 
zation are effected and certain prescribed rules observed by the 
several Provinces, to send out expert speakers to aid in institute 
Avork, paying the salaries and expenses of these lecturers from the 
time they leave home until they reach the confines of the Province 
requiring their services, and the Province requiring the services of 
these men pays their salary and expenses from the time they reach 
the confines of the Province until they return thereto on their return 
trip. 



24 

The purpose of the department in requiring the Province to bear a 
share of th(> ('.\|)enses of these lecturers is to cause them to economize 
their time au«l to hiy out their series of meetings so as not to cause 
undue ti'avcling or expenses. 

The Dominion department re(|uires that full reports of the work 
done at each meeting by each speaker shall be made out by the insti- 
tute director and be forwarded to the Dominion superintendent of 
institutes. The national department of agriculture is endeavoring 
to secure closer relations with the provincial directors of institutes 
by arranging to pay to the deputy minister of agriculture or the 
acting superintendent of farmers' institutes a certain annual sum 
in aid of the institute work. 

BRITISH COLUMBIA. 

The farmers' institute system in British Columbia was inaugurated 
in 1807, and, as in the other Canadian Provinces, it is in connection 
with and under the supervision of the deputy minister of agricul- 
ture. The superintendent of institutes is appointed by the lieutenant- 
governor in council, and is charged with the duties imposed by the 
several acts establishing the farmers' institute system of the Province. 
Inasmuch as the details of the entire system are fully set forth by 
the various acts of the provincial assembly providing for institute 
instruction, they are herewith presented in consolidated form as 
arranged for convenience of reference by the cleplity minister of agri- 
culture and superintendent of institutes. 

xVCTS OF ASSEMBI.Y RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FARM- 
ERS' INSTITUTES. 

Her Majesty, liy and wilh the adviee and consent of the lesishitive assembly 
of the Province of P.ritish ('oluniliia, enacts as follows: 

Short Title. 

1. This act may he cited as the " Farmers' Institutes and reoperation Act." 

I NTERI'RKTATION. 

2. In the construction of this act, and the rules and i-egulations framed mider 
the authority thereof, the followini; words and e.xpressions shall have the mean- 
ings hereby assigned to them, unh'ss the same be rejuignant to or inconsistent 
with the context (that is to say) : 

"The department" shall mean tlie department of agricniturc of the Province 
of British Columbia. 

"The minister" shall mean the minister of agriculture of the I'rovince of 
British Columbia. 

"The superintendent" shall mean the superintendent of the farmers' insti- 
tutes in the Province of British Columbia. 

"Division" shall mean a division as s<'t forth in Schedule A" of this act con- 
taining districts. 



a Schedule omitted from this publication. 



25 

" District " shall mean the district coniposecl of the municipalities or other 
limitations set forth in Schedule A o of this act. 

"Regular meetings" are those at which delegates sent l)y the department are 
present and whose expenses are paid by the department. 

" Supplementary meetings" are those conducted by the local otiicials. 

" Regular delegates " are those s^nit annually to assist local officers to hold 
regular meetings. 

" Supplementary speakers " are those sent at the request of the local officers 
to assist said officers to hold supplementary meetings. 

3. The minister may authorize the organization of fai'mers' institutes in any 
electoral or other division into which this Province now is or may hereafter be 
divided. The authority for the organization of farmers' institutes may be given 
after a petition, duly filled up and signed by at least fifteen persons who are resi- 
dent in the said district, and who have paid in to the secretary-treasurer pro tern, 
not less than fifty cents each, has been Hied in the department in the form set 
forth in S<'hedule B hereto. 

4. The objects of such farmers' institutes shall be the dissemination of infor- 
mation in regard to agriculture. :ind shall include the encouragement and 
improvement of agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, manufactures, and the 
useful arts : 

(fl) By holding meetings for the discussion of and hearing lectures on subjects 
in connection with the theory and practice of improved husbandry or other 
industrial puri)0.ses. 

(&) By i)romoting the circulation of agricultural, horticultural, arboricul- 
tural, and mechanical bulletins and re])orts. 

(c) By importing and otherwise procuring and distributing seeds, plants, 
and animals of new and valuable kinds. 

(f?) By offering prizes for essays and questions of scientific inquiries relating 
to agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, manufactures, and the useful arts, 
and for shows or displays of agricultural i)roducts. 

(c) For disseminating information regarding bee keeping. 

(f) By cooperation for carrying on any industry or for any purpose relating 
to agriculture within the district, as provided for in section 15 of this act. 

5. In granting authority for the formation of a farmers' institute under sec- 
tion 3 of this act, the minister shall appoint the place within such division and 
fix the day and hour at which the first meeting for the organization of the 
institute shall be held, of which the minister shall give at least one month's 
previous notice by advertisement in the British Columbia Gazette and in writ- 
ing to the secretary-treasurer pro tem. of the proposed institute, who shall 
thereupon cause to be posted up. at not less than five of the most frequented 
places in the district, notices containing full particulars as to the object, place, 
date, and hour of the meeting. At such meeting the persons present who signed 
the petition, as provided in section 3, and such others as may have paid at least 
fifty cents each to the secretary-treasurer pro tem. prior to the time appointed 
tor the meeting, for the receipt of which subscription the secretary-treasurer 
pro tem. shall be in attendance at the ]>lace of meeting at least one hour 
prior to the time for which it may be called, shall elect from among members 
such officers as are required to be elected at the annual meeting of such institute, 
which officers shall remain in office until the date of the next ensuing amuial 
election. 

6. The lieutenant-governor in council, upon recommendation of the minister, 
may subdivide divisions and districts in which institutes are organized under 
this act. 



" Schedule omitted from this i)ublication. 



26 

7. Each farmers' institute organized under this act shall he known as the 
'* [here insert the name of the district] Farmers' Institute," inider whicli name 
each institute shall he a body politic and corporate. 

8. The officers shall consist of a president, vice-president, and secretary- 
treasurer, and such number of directors as may be provided in the rules and 
regulations framed under the aiTthority of this act, who shall be elected annu- 
ally, and who together shall constitute a board of directors, the majority of 
which shall be practical farmers. 

9. The superintendent of farmers' institutes shall l)e an officer api)(>inted l»y 
the lieutenant-governor in coxmcil. to whom shall belong the duties assigned in 
the rules and regulations passed under the authority of this act. 

10. Each member of an institute shall be entitled to receive a copy of all ]iub 
lications published by or issued under the authority of the department of agri- 
culture for the Province of British Columbia. 

11. The legislative assembly may each year set apart a certain sum of money 
for aiding farmers' institutes whose returns have been transmitted and who 
have complied with the provisions of this act and the rules and regulations that 
may be passed Ity the lieutenant-governor in comicil. To each institute whose 
membership is shown to amount to from fifteen to one hundred a sum of fifty 
cents for each paid-up member up to one hundred, and twenty-five cents for each 
paid-up member over one hundred will be allowed: Provided, That in case the 
amount so voted or set apart shall not be sufficient to cover the total amount of 
apportionment in this manner, then the apportionment shall be made pro rata 
on the same basis. 

12. The council of any numicipality may grant money in aid of any duly 
organized farmers' institute. 

13. Every farmers' institute shall be entitled to receive the moneys provided 
for in section 11 of this act from the treasury of the Province upon the following 
conditions : 

(«) That the number of members is at least fifteen, each paying an annual 
fee of not less than fifty cents. 

(6) That the provisions of this act and the rules and regulations approved by 
the lieutenant-governor in council shall have been carefully observed. 

(e) That all reports or returns required to be made under the jirovisions of 
this act shall have been received to the satisfaction of the department. 

(d) That at least two regular meetings and two supplementary meetings shall 
be held during the year. 

14. The funds of the farmers' institutes, howsoever derived, shall not be 
expended for any ol)ject inconsistent with those mentioned in section 4 of this 
act, and shall not be paid out exceiit authorized at a meeting of the board of 
directors and upon an order signed by the president, or in his absence l)y two 
of the directors and the secretary-treasurer. In case payments are made by 
cheque issued upon a chartered bank the cheque shall be signed by the president, 
or in his absence by two directors and the secretary-treasurer. 

15. Notwithstanding the provisions of any act in force in this Province 
upon application to the minister of ten or more resident and bona fide farmers 
of the district, such applicants may engage in and carry on, on a cooperative 
basis, any of the following, viz: (a) A farmers' exchange for Imying and selling 
farm produce; (7>) a cheese factory; (c) a creamery; (d) a fruit-canning, 
preserving, or evaporating factory; (e) a mutual credit association for the pur- 
pose of receiving deposits and loaning money to its members; if) or in any 
other enterprise that may be approved by the lieutenant-governor in council as 
coming among the objects and within the meaning of this act, and such appli- 



27 

cants shall he construed " provisional directors " and shall possess the powers 
and authority mentioned in and conferred hy any order in council for managing 
the affairs of the association until the first annual election of officers, and under 
this act the association shall possess all the powers of an incorporated company 
under the " Companies act, 1S!>7," to hold property, to sue and he sued, make 
hy-laws. and do all things necessary and purteuant to the carrying on of any 
husiness for the mutual henefit and profit of the memhers subscribing and 
holding stock : Provided always — 

{(i) That a notice of incorporation containing the names of such applicants be 
published in the British Columbia Gazette, for which a fee of ten dollars shall 
be charged ; 

(h) That no subscriber may hold or thei*eafter ac(iuire more than one-tenth 
of the stock allotted by the association ; 

(r) That twenty-five iier cent of the capital stock be subscribed at the time of 
making application ; 

(d) That all elections shall be by ballot, and each member shall be entitled 
to one vote only. 

15A. Every farmers' institute organized prior to the 20th day of May, 189S, 
and every association incorporated prior to said 2()th day of May. 1S98, under 
section lo of this act, shall be deemed to have been duly and completely organ- 
ized or incorporated, as the case may be, according to law, and to have complied 
with and fulfilled every condition and reiiuirement made and imposed by law 
in that behalf. 

!(■>. It shall be the duty of the secretary of the association so organized to 
make a return to the superintendent within tliirty days after the first of Janu- 
ai"y in each year, containing a full statement of the affairs of the association 
for the year last past, which shall inchide a duly audited and certified balance 
sheet, the numl)er of stockholders and the amount of stock held by each, the 
paid-up capital, assets, and liabilities, the number and class of employees, the 
rate of wages paid in each case, the quantity and value of output, and the 
quantity and value of goods sold and exported. Such statement shall be certi- 
fied to by the secretary as correct and by the i»resident, or in his absence by 
two of the directors. 

17. The procedure for the liquidation, winding up, and disposal of the busi- 
ness of any association under this act shall be that i)rescribed b.v the lieutenant- 
governor in council by order in council from time to time in that behalf. 

IS. The penalty for infraction of section Iti of this act shall be a fine of not 
less than one dollar and not more than twenty dollars for each offence upon 
.summary conviction before a stipendiary magistrate or two justices of the peace 
having jurisdiction in the district, who shall have power to impose costs and 
order distraint in default of payment. 

19. It shall be competent for any agricultural, horticultural, or dairyman's 
association at present in existence to be incorporated or amalgamated with the 
district farmers' institute in which such association is situated upon the major- 
ity vote of the members of such association at the regular meeting being passed 
in its favor. i)roviding that prior to the holding of such regular meeting at least 
sixty days' notice shall be given in writing to the members of the intention 
to move a resolution to that effect, and if thought advisable by a notice pub- 
lished in a newspaper cii-culating in each division ; and in case of such incor- 
poration or amalgamation the combined associations and district institute shall 
be entitled to any moneys voted by the legislature in support of any associatioji 
or institute so incorporated or amalgamated, and shall, in addition to its proper 
rights, powers, and privileges, have, and may exercise, all the corporate rights, 
powers, and privileges of sueh combined associations and institutes: Aliroffs 



28 

provided. That all funds belonging to the sooiety so affiliaterl he applied exclu- 
sively to the purposes of that society. 

20. For the purposes of this act the Province shall be divided into divisions, 
containing districts as set forth in Schedule A." 

21. The minister of agriculture may employ a portion ot the legislative grant, 
not to exceed twenty-five per cent thereof, for the promotion and assisting in 
the objects and aims of a farmers' central institute for tlie whole of the Prov- 
ince ; such institute to be formed by delegates from the district institutes, who 
shall l>e elected at the annual meetings, as may be provided by the rules and 
regulations. The central institute shall be subject to tlie rules and regulations 
made under authority of this act, and its meetings shall be held not oftener 
than once a year, the place of meeting to be designated by the superintendent. 

22. It shall be the duty of the secretary-treasurer of eacli district to jirepare 
each year a full report of the work of his institute during such year, which 
shall include a list of members, a statement of the receii)ts and exi)enditures, and 
a statement of the numl)er and place of meetings held during the year, a pro- 
gramme of the meetings, and the attendance at the same, such report to be 
transmitted to the department within thirty days after the 31st of December 
of each year. The secretary-treasurer of each institute shall have a salary of 
not less than twenty-five dollars, to be voted by the legislative assembly. 

22A. The lieutenant-governor in council may each year appoint, from among 
the delegates to the central institute, memV)ers of a l)oard to be known ;is the 
" advisory board." The said board shall consist of six members, two from Van- 
couver Island, two from the lower mainland, and two from the u|)per mainland. 
The said boai'd shall meet at the times and places designated by the minister, 
and shall advise the minister upon all matters of interest to the agricultural 
community. The members of the board shall receive no remuneration for their 
services, but shall be paid their actual traveling expenses. 

23. The minister shall frame rules and regulations as a recommendation 
to the lieutenant-governor in council, which shall define the procedure for the 
organization of institutes not otherwise provided for in this act, the number 
and duties of officers of institutes, the date and programme of and procedure 
governing annual and other regular and general meetings, and provide for all 
other things necessary for the proper working of farmers' institutes, not in- 
consistent with any of the provisions of this act, and the lieutenant-governor 
in council may authorize siich rules and regulations, which shall be published 
in the British Columbia Gazette immediately thereafter. 

24. This act shall come into force on the day of its being assented to. 

Rules and Regulations, 
organization of institutes. 

1. Subject to the provisions of sections <". and 7 of the act, each institute 
shall have a distinct name. 

2. It shall be the duty of the secretary-treasurer to notify without delay the 
superintendent of farmers' institutes as soon as organization is c(jni])leted, and 
to forward to him a list of the names and addresses of all the members and offi- 
cers and directors. 

3. Membership sliall terminate with the .".1st day of December each year, 
but the membership of persons joining during the months of October, November, 

o Schedule omitted from this publication. 



29 

and December just preceding, and whose fees are paid, shall extend to and be 
good for the whole of the following j'ear. 



4. In addition to the officers referred to in section 8 of the act, there shall 
be one director for every ten members up to fifty, to be elected as hereinafter 
provided, the number of directors, however, in no case to exceed five until the 
membership shall reach one hundred, after which thei'& may be an additional 
director for every additional twenty members. 

5. One delegate to the central institute, who shall be a practical farmer 
actively engaged in farming or superintending a farm, shall be elected by ballot 
by each district institute at the annual meeting as provided by section 121 of 
the act. 

(J. There shall be elected annually two auditors to audit the accounts of the 
institute. 

7. An executive committee of three may be appointed from the board of 
directors as a whole to manage any matters within the powers of the said board 
to perform, their duties to be those assigned to them by the said board. 

8. In case the presidency is vacant, or the president does not take action 
within ten days, the vice-president shall act in his stead. 

0. In case of the secretary-treasurer resigning or refusing to perform^ the 
duties of his office, or if by any other reason his office becomes vacant, the presi- 
deiiit, or in his absence the vice-president, shall perfom the duties of the secre- 
tary-treasurer until the vacancy be filled. 

!)A. In case of any vacancy occurring amongst the officers or directors of the 
institute the seci'etary, or in case of that office being vacant, the president, or in 
his absence the vice-president, shall immediately call the board of directors 
together by giving ten days' notice in writing, and it shall be the duty of the 
board of directors, at the time and place of meeting, to fill the vacancies by 
ballot from amongst the members of the institute. 

10. Any change in the personnel of the directorate or executive shall be 
reported to the superintendent forthwith by the secretary-treasurer, or other 
officer acting in his stead. 

Annual Meetings. 

11. The institute year shall begin January 1 and end December 31. The 
annual meeting shall be held in the month of January of each and every year. 
At this meeting the officers provided for shall be elected for the ensuing year. 
Elections shall be by ballot. No person shall be eligible for office or entitled 
to vote who has not paid his fees in full for the current membership year. 
The executive officers for the current institute year shall, through the secretary, 
present to the meeting in writing, a carefully iirepared report of the proceedings 
of the year, in which shall be stated the number of institute meetings held, the 
attendance at each, the total number of papers read and addresses delivered. 
The treasurer's report for the current year shall be presented, but shall first be 
audited and certified to by the auditors. The annual meeting shall be called by 
mailing to each member, at least ten days before the meeting, an announcement 
of the meeting, said announcement to specify the date, place, and hour of the 
meeting, and shall contain a programme of the meeting. In addition to this, if 
the executive deem it desirable, they may advertise the meeting by posters, or in 
newspapers circulating in the district. 



30 

Programme of Annual Meeting. 

12. (a) President's report and discussion, 
(ft) Report of executive committee. 

(c) Treasurer's report. 

(d) Auditor's report. 

(e) Suggestions as to holding of regular and supplementary meetings. 
if) Election of officers. 

{g) Suggestions as to institute work. 
(h) Addresses, papers, etc. 

13. At the close of the annual meeting the new hoard of directors shall meet 
and transact such business as may be necessary. 

14. Memorandum of proceedings shall be entered in the secretary's minute 
book, and a copy of the same shall be sent by the secretary to the superintendent, 
and shall be presented as a part of the report of the annual meeting. 

15. In case any institute shall from any cause fail to hold its annual meeting 
at the time appointed the secretary may appoint a time for holding the same, 
the same procedure to be observed as in the foregoing. 

Other General Meetings. 

16. All institutes organized under the act shall be strictly nonpartisan and 
nonsectarian, and no institute shall operate in the direct interest of any party, 
sect, or society, but for the equal good of all citizens of the farming comnmnity, 
and no subject shall be presented at any institute or any discussion allowed of 
a political or sectarian nature, nor shall any speaker be allowed in his lecture, 
essay, or speech, or in any discussion to advertise wares or schemes in which 
he has a direct or indirect i)ecuniary interest. 

17. It is not intended that regular delegates shall attend more than two meet- 
ings in any institute district in one year at the expense of the department of 
agriculture, and officers and directors are expected to lighten, as far as possible, 
the expenses of the delegates while in their districts, but a greater number may 
be arranged for if convenient and desirable. 

18. Should any institute require speakers at any other period of the year to 
assist in holding supplementary meetings, application for such assistance shall 
be made to the superintendent, and, if granted, the institute requiring the 
services of such speakers shall pay all legitimate expenses of such persons 
while attending said meetings. 

19. All requests to the minister for assistance to hold agricultural, horticul- 
tural, live stock, or dairy meetings shall, if possible, be made through the 
secretaries of the district institutes, applicants stating what subjects they wish 
the speakers to discuss. 

20. Every meeting of an institute, except the annual meeting, shall be adver- 
tised by issuing posters, on which shall appear a programme of the meeting, 
giving date and place of meeting, hour of opening, the names and addresses of 
the speakers, the topic to be discussed by each, and all other particulars. A 
copy of the poster shall be sent, two weeks previous to the date of the meeting, 
to each postmaster and schoolmaster and to all places of public resort in the 
district, and copies of the programme should be sent to each member of the 
institute, and it shall be the duty of officers and directoi's to exercise due care 
to insure the proper posting and distribution of said bills. A copy of each 
poster and each programme shall be sent as soon as published to the superin- 
tendent and to each speaker advertised. 



31 

21. It shall be the duty of the board of directors, or executive committee 
appointed by them, to complete all arrangements within due time for the holding 
of the meeting. 

Duties of Officeks. 

'22. The board of directors shall have full control of the affairs of the insti- 
tute. They shall arrange time and places of meetings, and shall outline the 
work and the policy of the institute. 

23. The executive committee shall, if appointed, carry into effect the plan 
of work decided upon by the board of directors, and shall arrange the details 
of the siime. 

24. The president shall preside at all meetings of the l)oard of directors and 
executive committee, and in his absence the vice-president shall i)reside, and in 
the absence of both, then a chairman shall be elected from amongst the members 
present. 

25. The secretary shall have the powers of managing director, acting under 
the control and with the approval of the executive committee. He shall call all 
meetings of the executive committee and I)oard of directors niton the authority 
of the president or of any two officers or directors, give notices of all meetings as 
reipilred by these rules, make returns, keep correct minutes of the proceedings, 
and conduct all correspondence in the name of the institute. All reports and 
I'eturns required by the superintendent shall be made upon forms specially 
provided and in the manner indicated. 

26. The secretary shall keep a book in which shall be entered the names and 
addresses of members in alphabetical order, also a book to be used as a mail- 
ing list, which shall contain the names of parties to whom posters, programmes, 
etc., may be sent. 

27. It shall be the duty of tli(> secretary to prepare and submit to the execu- 
tive committee the amiual report and to present the final rei>ort to the annual 
meeting. Not later than ten days after the annual meeting he shall forward to 
the superintendent, by registered mail, a copy of said report, together with a 
copy of the treasurer's report, the name and address of each oHicer and director 
elected for the ensuing institute year. 

28. On or before the 30th day of January of each year the secretary shall 
send a revised list of members for the current membership year to the super- 
intendent, and quarterly thereafter he shall forward the name and address of 
each additional person who has since the previous return become a member of 
the institute. The capita grant, as provided by the act, shall be paid on mem- 
bership as returned by the secretary on the 30th day of June of the current 
year. 

29. Within one week after the close of each institute meeting or series of 
meetings the secretary shall forward to the superintendent a detailed report 
of said meeting or meetings, in which shall be stated the name of the place or 
places where sessions were held, the number of persons present at each session, 
the name and address of each person who read a paper or gave an address, and 
the title of the address or paper. 

30. The secretary shall, when possible, retain the manuscript of all papers 
read at meetings of the institute by local talent, in order that he may, when 
required, furnish the superintendent with the same. Each institute is required 
to forward at least two such papers each year, which may be published as the 
superintendent decides. Secretaries or essayists are not required to rewrite 
papers before sending them to the superintendent, but may forward them as 
read at the local meeting. 



32 

31. It shall be the fluty of the treasurer to receive and account for all moneys 
belonging to the institute and disburse the same under the instructions of the 
executive committee, without whose order no money shall be paid out. He 
shall also prepare in detail and present to the annual meeting a duly audited 
statement of receii)ts and expenditures. 

32. He shall use such cash and receipt buolvS, membership ticlcets. etc., as 
may be required by tlie superintendent. 

33. An officer or director who has not during the current year attended any 
meeting held in his district (except when prevented by siclcness), or otherwise 
rendered valuable assistance to the institute, shall not be eligible for reelection 
to office for the ensuing year. 

34. It shall be the duty of the superintendent to generally conduct tlie corre- 
spondence relating to the institutes and to supervise the worlv so far as pro- 
vided for under the acts and rules and regulations. Acting under the instruc- 
tions of tlie minister, it shall be his duty to arrange for regular and supple- 
mentary delegates to be present and address regular and supplementary meet- 
ings at the request of farmers' institutes, to prepare circular letters, to receive 
and i)ublish reports, to supply all forms, books, etc., to local secretaries required 
under these I'ules, and to prepare and issue from time to time suggestions to 
officers and directors of the Institutes. 

35. Every officer and director shall promptly answer all official comnuuiica- 
tions addressecf to him by the superintendent, and should make diligent efforts 
to furnish any information retiuired of him relative to the affairs of the 
institute. 

Procedure, Order of Meetings, Etc. 

36. At any meeting of an institute, if duly advertised as set forth in these 
rules, 10 members shall form a quorum to do business at an annual or other 
general meeting when the membership is over 32. At a directors' meeting 
half of total number of board of directors shall form a quorum — half of five 
to be reckoned as three, and the half of seven as four. At an executive commit- 
tee meeting three shall form a quorum. If at any meeting a quorum is not pres- 
ent, those present shall adjourn, and the meeting shall again be called, as pre- 
scribed in these rules. 

37. The officers and directors shall act as far as practicable upon the recom- 
niendations of the superintendent, and shall submit to him, through the secre- 
tary, all questions relating to the welfare of the institute upon which advice 
may be required. 

38. (a) Except by pei'mission of the presiding officer, no member or other 
person shall speak other than to ask a (piestion or to introduce or to speak to a 
motion. 

(b) In the discussion following the introduction of a sui).iect, no person shall 
speak more than twice, nor for a longer time than five minutes, except by a 
vote of the meeting. 

(c) When a question is under consideration no motion shall be in order except 
the following: (1) To adjourn, (2) to postpone. (3) to amend; these motions 
taking precedence in the order named, and the first two shall be decided without 
debate. 

{(I) Before the vote is taken on any motion or amendment the president shall 
ask, "Is the meeting ready for the question?" The question shall not be put 
so long as any member desires to speak and is in order. Any member desirous 
of asking a question on the subject introduced may do so verbally ; but if he 
desires to ask more than two questions, he must submit them to the secretary 
in writing. 



33 

39. Every meml)er is entitled to the following privileges : 

(ff ) To protest against any decision of the institute, and riniuest his objection 
to be recorded in the minutes. 

(6) To protest against the decision of the chair and api>eal to the meeting, 
stating the grounds of appeal, which shall then be put without debate in these 
words: " Shall the decision of the chair be sustained? " 

40. A motion to reconsider any question decided by the institute shall be in 
order, providing such motion be not made on the same day on which the resolu- 
tion is carried. 

43. Order of business for general meetings other than the annual: 

(1) Calling the meeting to order by the president. 

(2) Reading and disposing of communications. 

(3) Reports of counnittees. 

(4) Programme of the day and discussion. 

(5) Question drawer. 

(6) Adjournment. 

42. Any change of address or any failure to receive the bulletins and reports 
issued by the agricultural department should immediately be rei)orted to the 
superintendent. 

43. The blank books used shall be those authorized by the department. Blank 
forms for reports of meetings, financial statements, list of members, membership 
books, mailing books, cashbooks, etc., shall be supplied by the superintendent. 

MANITOBA. 

The farmers' institutes of Manitoba are made a part of the work 
of the local agricultural societies. The societies are incorporated 
organizations with power to " lease, sell, alienate, and convey, or 
otherwise disjDose of any real or personal property of the society, to 
borrow any money for the purposes of the society, and for the pur- 
pose of securing the repayment thereof may hypothecate, mortgage, 
or pledge the real or personal property of said society."" 

The lieutenant-govTrnor in council is empowered to authorize the 
organization of agricultural societies, Avhich authorization may begin 
after a petition, duly filled out and signed by at least 50 members 
(none of whom shall be a member of any other agricultural society), 
and who must have actually paid to the secretary-treasurer pro tem- 
pore not less than $1, has been filed in the department in a form pre- 
scribed by the department of agriculture of the Province, promising 
to continue to pay to the treasurer of the society, so long as they 
remain members of it, not less than $1 each annually. 

The meeting for organization is called by the lieutenant-governor 
in council, who selects the time and place at which it is to be held. 
It t]ien becomes the duty of the minister of agriculture to give public 
notice of the meeting by advertisement in the Manitoba Gazette and 
in writing to the secretary-treasurer pro tempore of the proposed 
society, who is directed to post up throughout the district notices con- 
30372— No. 155—05 M 3 



34 

taining full particulars as to the object, date, place, and hour of 
meeting. 

When the meeting convenes those who have paid $1 to the secretary- 
treasurer pro tempore shall nominate and elect from among their own 
members 10 directors and 1 auditor. The directors so elected are 
required to meet within one week therefrom and elect from among 
themselves a president and a first and second vice-president, and 
either from among themselves or otherwise a secretary-treasurer, and 
from outside their number an auditor, who shall not be the auditor 
elected at the meeting by the members. A copy of the minutes of 
this meeting must be sent to the provincial department of agricul- 
ture within two Aveeks after the annual meeting. Failure to so report 
deprives the society of its portion of the provincial grant for the year 
next following that meeting. 

These societies were originally organized for the purpose of hold- 
ing agricultural fairs, and each society whose total receipts in any 
year from this source amount to from $150 to $850 shall be entitled 
to an equal amount from the provincial fund in aid of agricultural 
societies, excex^t that '' from and after the year 1900 the sum of $50 
of the provincial grant shall be withheld by the minister of agricul- 
ture from those societies not engaged in farmers' institute work. 

When the farmers' institute idea was taken u}) in the Province, 
instead of erecting an independent organization for conducting them 
they were attached to the local agricultural societies, and it was made 
a part of their duty to conduct the work. 

The following regulations, approved by the lieutenant-governor 
in council, show the relation that exists between the institutes and 
the agricultural societies: 

I. Each agricultural society shall hold at least thi'ee meetings every year 
other than the annual meeting, the exhibition, and the meetings specially 
arranged by the deitartnient. 

II. At these meetings papers shall be read or addresses delivered on tojiics 
relating to agriculture, horticulture, dairying, or kindred subjects. Free dis- 
cussion shall be encouraged. 

III. The order of meeting is to be similar to the regular meetings of the 
society and under the management of the directors of the society. 

IV. The department will endeavor to supi)ly speakers to address two extra 
meetings each year. 

V. The directors of each society shall arrange for places of meeting, adver- 
tising meetings, and pay all expenses incurred therebj'. 

VI. The secretary of the society shall compile all reports regarding institute 
work as required by the department. 

Failure on the part of any agricultural society to hold institute 
meetings as provided forfeits $50 of the provincial grant for that 
year, the same being required to be withheld by the minister of agri- 
culture from such society. The deputy minister of agriculture is 
the superintendent of farmers' institutes of the Province. 



35 

NEW BRUNSWICK. 

Farmers' institutes were held in the Province of New Brunswick 
as early as 1888, but it was not until 181)7 that the work was assumed 
by the provincial department of agriculture and a superintendent 
of institutes provided. The law places this work under the imme- 
diate direction of the deputy connnissioner of agriculture. The sys- 
tem provides for local organizations in each county, no limit being 
fixed to the number, several counties having as many as seven, each 
having a president, vice-president, and secretary-treasurer, and known 
under a specific name and by a inunber received at the date of its 
acceptance as an institute society by the provincial superintendent. 

Under the amended regulations of the agricultural act of 1888, 
apjjroved June -t, 1901, it is provided that — 

Where agricultural societies now existing, or hereafter incori)orated under 
the agricultural act of 1888 or amendments thereto, will undertake to hold 
meetings under regulations made li.v the lieutenant-governor in council under 
section 3 of this act, they shall in their districts be considered as farmers' 
institutes. 

The general policy of the government in the matter of forming 
independent instittite organizations or associating them with existing 
agriculttiral societies is set forth in the agricultural act of 1888. The 

act says : 

It is desirable that all agricultural societies should conduct institute worii 
and so avoid the necessity of two organizations In one district. For this a 
special grant of .$15 will be given by the department, and 25 cents of each mem- 
bership fee received by the society shall, with the said grant, form a fund for 
the carrying on of the work under the institute act. 

The following rules and regulations a^^proved by the lieutenant- 
governor in council have the efl'ect of law, and inasmuch as the details 
of the system in use in this Province in institute work are fully set 
forth by this, they are therefore given in full : 

RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
[Approved by the lieutenant-governor in council.] 

1. The New Brunswick legislature having voted a sum of money for the estab- 
lishment of farm'<rs" institutes througliout the Province, a grant of tifteen dollars 
will be given to one institute in each district, on such conditions as are herein- 
after contained. 

2. The object of each local institute sha'' be the dissemination of agricultural 
knowledge in its district and the development of local talent. The officers shall 
endeavor to bring the rank and file of the farmers into touch with the most suc- 
cessful local men, that tlie masses may become more conversant with the best 
and most profltable methods of farming, stock raising, dairying, fruit culture, 
and all branches of business connected with the industry of agriculture. It is 
desirable that agricultural societies should take up this work, rather than that 
two organizations should be formed in the same district. 



36 

Organization of Institutes. 

3. One institute may be organized in each district of the Province, or in such 
other divisions as the lieutenant-governor in council may authorize. 

4. I'he organization meeting may be called by the sui)erintendeut of farmers' 
institutes, or by any five farmers of the district ; and at least two weeks' pre- 
vious notice shall be given by advertisement in two newspapers published in the 
district, or by placard, in which shall be stated the object, time, and place of 
meeting. 

5. As soon as organization is completed the superintendent shall be notified, 
and the names and addresst'S of the officers and directors sliall be forwarded 
to him. 

6. All membershii) shall terminate the oOth of November each year. (See 
clause 57.) 

7. Each institute shall be known by a distinctive name and number. 

Officebs. 

8. The officers shall consist of a president, a vice-president, and a secretary- 
treasurer, and one or more directors from each parish included in the insti- 
tute district, except in new or thinly settled districts, when directors may be 
elected irrespective of the parishes. The president, vice-president, and directors 
shall be elected annually, and together with the secretary-treasurer shall con- 
stitute a board of directors, the majority of whom shall be practical farmers. 

9. There shall be an executive committee composetl of the president, the vice- 
president, and the .secretary-treasurer. 

. 10. There shall be elected annually, an auditor to audit the accounts of the 
institute. 

11. If the secretary-treasurer resigns, or for any cause does not perform the 
duties of his office, or if he removes from the district, the president shall imme- 
diately issue a letter calling the officers and directors together, giving each at 
least ten days' notice. In the meantime the president shall perform the duties 
of the secretary-treasurer. At the time and place appointed the officers and 
directors present shall appoint a* secretary-treasurer. In case the presidency is 
vacant, or the president does not take action within ten days, the vice-president 
shall assume the power of president. Other vacancies shall be filled in like 
manner. 

12. Any change in the personnel of the executive or directorate shall be 
^reported to the superintendent forthwith. 

Annual Meeting. 

date and place of holding. 

13. The institute year shall begin December 1 and end November 30. 

14. The annual meeting of each institute shall be held on some date to be 
selected between the 1st and 30th of November of each and every year. (See 
clauses 16, 17, 18, and 10.) 

15. The newly elected board of directors shall take office at the close of the 
annual meeting. The old board shall remain in office until this time. 

16. Each year a meeting of the directors shall be called by the secretary to 
meet some time before the 15th of September. The special business of this 
meeting shall be to arrange for holding the annual meeting. 



37 

17. If It is thought desirable by the directors present at this meeting that a 
delegate or speaker be in attendance at the annual meeting the same may be 
arranged for through the superintendent. (See clause 34.) 

18. If it is decided that a request be sent to the superintendent for a speaker 
to attend the annual meeting, the directors shall, in addition, select the place for 
holding above meeting, the date being selected by the superintendent, as in the 
case of winter meetings. If, however, it is decided not to ask for a speaker 
through the superintendent, the directors shall select both d,ate and place for 
holding annual meeting, conforming with clause 14. 

10. A full report of this directors' meeting shall be forwarded by secretary 
to the superintendent on or before the 1st day of October. 

BUSINESS AT ANNUAL MEETING. 

20. At the annual meeting the directors and auditor shall 1 i- elected for the 
ensuing year. (See clauses 8 and 10.) 

21. At the annual meeting the method of election shall be by ballot or other- 
wise, as decided by the members present. No person shall be eligible for office 
or be entitled to vote at the annual meeting who has not jtaid his fees in full 
for the membership year beginning 1st December next following date of such 
annual meeting. (See clause G.) 

22. At the annual meeting members may suggest points in the district where 
institute meetings may be held during the succeeding institute year, first as to 
regular, and secondly, as to supi)lementary meetings. 

28. At the annual meeting the executive officers for the past institute year 
shall, through the secretary-treasurer, present to the meeting in writing a care- 
fully prepared report of the proceedings of the year, in which shall be stated the 
number of institute meetings held since the last annual report, the attendance 
at each session, the total number of papers read and addresses delivered, and a 
statement of the financial condition of the institute. The financial statement 
shall first be audited and certified thereto by the auditor. 

24. The annual meeting shall be devoted to the business of the institute as 
specified in clauses 20, 21, 22, and 23, and in carrying out the i)rogrannne of 
the annual meeting, and in considering ways and means whereby the institute 
can be improved. 

2.^). The annual meeting shall be advertised by mailing to each member, at 
least ten days before the date thereof, an announcement calling the members 
together. Said announcement shall specify the date, place, and hour of meet- 
ing, and shall contain a programme of said meeting. If the executive commit- 
tee deem It in the intei'est of the institute, posters and newspaper advertising 
may also be employed to make this meeting publicly known. 

ORDER OF BUSIIMESS FOR ANNUAL MEETING. 

26. (1) President's report. 

(2) Discussion thereon. 

(3) Report of the executive committee jjresented in writing by the secretary- 
treasurer. 

(4) Auditor's report presented in writing. 

(.5) Suggestion of points at which to hold regular meeting. 

(0) Suggestion of points at which to hold supplementary meeting. 

(7) Election of directors, election of auditor. 

(8) Suggestions as to how the institute can be improved or made more useful, 
if it has not already been considered by the president in his opening address 
and in the discussion following. 

(9) Addresses, etc. 



38 

27. At the close of the annual meethig the new board of directors shall meet 
and elect from among themselves a president and a vice-president, and shall 
finally decide at what points in the district regular and supplementary meetings 
shall be held during the current institute year. The points selected shall be 
entered on page C of the secretary's minute boolv, and a copy of this page shall 
be sent to the superintendent and shall be considered as part of the report of 
the annual meeting. 

28. The board of directors shall, at the close of the fii-st annual meeting, and 
when afterwards necessary, appoint from among themselves or otherwise a 
secretary-treasurer, who shall remain in office during pleasure. 

29. In case an institute shall, through any cause, fail to hold its annual meet- 
ing within the time specified, the superintendent may appoint a date for hold- 
ing same, the meeting to be called as provided for the regular annual meeting, 
and this meeting shall, in all particulars, be taken as the annual meeting of the 
institute. 

Other General Meetings. 

30. In addition to the annual meeting, each institute shall hold at least two 
meetings each year, at which papers shall be read or addresses delivered on 
topics relating to agriculture, horticulture, dairying, or kindred subjects. Free 
discussion shall lie encouraged. 

31. All institutes organized under the act shall be strictly nonpartisan and 
iionsectarian in every phase of their work, and no institute shall be operated 
in the interest of any party, sect, or society, but for the equal good of all 
citizens and the farming community. 

32. No subject shall be presented at an institute meeting, or discussion 
allowed, of a political or sectarian nature; nor shall any speaker be allowed in 
his lecture, essay, or speech, or in any discussion, to advertise wares, or sc-hemes 
in which he has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest. The delegates and offi- 
cers of the institutes shall see that the exercises are not subordinate to any 
low or frivolous entertainments, or to the aggrandizement of any individual, 
jiarty, or sect. 

33. The regular delegation sljall visit two points only in one year in each 
institute district, or when said delegation spends two days at one place, that 
point only shall be visited. The government will defray the cost of sending 
these delegates, l)ut officers and members of institutes are exi)ected to lighten 
as far as possible the expenses of delegates while in their district. 

34. Should any institute require a speaker or speakers at any other period 
during the year to assist in holding supplementary meeting.s, ajiplication for 
assistance shall be made to the superintendent at the time of reporting the 
annual meeting. The department will pay for the services of such snp[)le- 
mentary sjieaker or speakers for two days in each year for each institute dis- 
trict, but the institute recjniring the services of said speaker or speaivcrs shall 
pay all legitimate expenses from the time said person or persons leave home 
until they return thereto. When a delegate or delegates address meetings in 
more than one district, the expenses will be equitably divided between said insti- 
tutes and collected from the institute or deducted from their grant. 

35. If an institute decides to hold supplementary meetings other than those 
asked for at the time of reporting the annual meeting, or for more than four 
days during one year, said institute shall pay all expenses and wages. This 
clause shall not api>ly to the aiuiual meeting. 

3G. If a regular or supplementary meeting has been granted, and the time and 
place published in the annual bulletin, no change shall be made in said time or 



39 

place. Any institute failing to hold a supplementary meeting, published as 
aforesaid, shall be required to pay the expenses notwithstanding. 

37. All requests for assistance to hold agricultural, horticultural, live-stocli, 
or dairy meetings shall be made through the secretary of the district institute. 
Applicants should state what sul)jects they wish the speaker to discuss. 

38. Every meeting of an institute, except the annual meeting, sliould be adver- 
tised by issuing posters, not less than 14 by 20 inches, on which should be 
printed an attractive progranune of the meeting, giving date and place of meeting, 
hour of opening, the name and address of the spealvcrs, topics to be discussed by 
each ; also the hour at which each siieaker will address the meeting, the time to 
be occupied by each address, and such other information as the executive deems 
necessary. A copy of said bill should be sent at least two weeks previous to the 
date of meeting to each postmaster, each schoolmaster, each miller, each black- 
smith, and to other places of public resort in the district, which are within a 
radius of 10 miles of tlie place of meeting, with a request to post in a conspicu- 
ous place. It shall be the duty of the officers and directors to exercise diligence 
to insure the proper posting of said bills. In addition tliereto, a i)r()^a-anmie of 
convenient size, containing similar information, should l)e distributed so as to 
reach its destination at least ten days previous to the date of meeting. A copy 
of said progranune should be sent to each member of the institute, to farmers, 
journalists, public men, and others in the district who reside within 10 miles of 
the place of meeting. Such posters and programmes should announce that all 
interested are welcome, whether members of the institute or not. Copies of said 
programmes should be sent to the school-teachers in the district, with the 
request that tliey be carefully distrilmted among the children. 

39. A copy of each jjoster and each progwunme shall l)e sent as soon as pub- 
lished to the superintendent and to each speaker advertised. 

40. When institutes are notified of the dates assigned for their meetings, and 
are furnished with the names of the speakers and a list of topics, the execu- 
tive committee should proceed to complete arrangements according to these 
rules. They should finally engage the hall, select local talent, etc. At least half 
of the time of each meeting should be occupied by local talent. The hall or 
other buildings to be used for the holding of the institute meetings should be 
lighted and heated, when such is necessary, at least half an hour l)ef()re the time 
advertised. When light and heat are not required said places should be oi)ened 
and prepared for holding the meeting at least one-half hour ))efore the time 
advertised. 

41. The time allowed speakers should be from five to thirty minutes, to vary 
according to the subject and the ability of the speaker. It is no breach of cour- 
tesy to limit each si^eaker to the time allotted him in the programme. When the 
programme has been carefully prepared on that basis no si)eaker should be 
allowed to exceed the time, to the embarrassment or detriment of the speakers 
who are to follow him. If the speakers are held down to tlieir time, the work 
of the institute, as a rule, will l)e benefited. Sessions should not Ite too long. 

42. No one should be named on a programme who has not agreed to do the 
specific thing he is advertised to do. 

43. At each meeting of the institute a committee should be appointed to 
canvass the audience for members. 

BoARn OF Directors. 

44. The board of directors, under these rules and regulations, shall have full 
control of the affairs of the institute. They shall arrange time and places of 
meeting when not otherwise arranged for and shall outline the work and 
policy of the institute. 



40 

45. The direr-tors of each local institute shall convene each year, in the month 
of Seitteniher, for the pnrpose of arranging for the annual ineeting. (See clause 
]<!. > At this meeting the order of husiness shall be as follows: 

(1) Selection of a place for holding the annual meeting. 

(2) Shall a request he sent to the sui»erintendent for a delegate to attend the 
annual meeting? 

(3) If it is decided not to send a request to the superintendent for the services 
of a delegate, the director shall select a date on which to hold the annual meet- 
ing, which shall be between the 1st and 30th of November. (See clauses 14, IG, 
17, and 18.) 

Executive Committee. 

40. The executive committee shall carr.v into effect the plan of work decided 
u])on by the board of directors and shall arrange the details of the same. (See 
clauses and (>(i. ) 

Notice of Meetings. 

47. A meeting of the directors or of the executive committee may be held at 
any time, jirovided one week's notice by letter be given to each director in the 
case of a directors' meeting, and a similar notice to each executive officer in case 
of an executive committee meeting. Meetings of the executive officers or of the 
directors may be held on shorter notice, provided each director or executive 
officer be otherwise notified and agrees thereto. (See clause 25.) 

Duties of Officers, 
president. 

48. It shall be the duty of tlie president to preside at all meetings of the board 
of directors and of the executive committee. In the absence of the president 
the vice-president shall preside, and if both are absent a chairman shall be 
appointed by the committee. 

secretary-treasitrer. 

49. The secretary-treasurer shall have the powers of a managing director, 
acting under the control and with the approval of the executive conmiittee. 

secretary. 

50. It shall be the duty of the secretary to call meetings of the executive com- 
mittee and board of directors, upon the authority of the jiresident or any two 
officers or directors, to give notice of all meetings a^s required by these rules, 
and keep correct minutes of the proceedings. 

51. All official correspondence relating to the institute shall be conducted by 
the secretary or in the name of the secretary. 

52. In all correspondence relating to the institute the name of the institute 
shall l)e given in full after the signature of the officer, except in cases where an 
official heading is used, giving the name of the institute. 

53. All reports and returns required by the superintendent shall be made ujton 
forms especiall.v jirovided and in the manner indicated. 

54. The secretary shall keep a book in which shall be entered the names and 
addresses of members in alphabetical order, also a book to be used as a mailing 
list, which shall contain the names of parties to whom posters, programmes, etc.. 
may be sent. 

55. It shall be the duty of the secretary to ])rei)are ;in(l submit to the execu- 
tive committee the annual report, as set forth in clause 23, and to present the 
final report to the annual meeting. 



41 

56. Not later than 1st day of Deeeniher in each and every year he shall for- 
ward to the snperintendent hy registered mail, or otherwise, copy of said report, 
together with a copy of the financial statement, and the name and address of 
each officer and dii'ector elected for the ensuing institute year, and also a list 
of members for ensuing year. 

57. On or before the 10th day of March of each year the secretary shall send 
a revised list of members for the current membership year to the superintendent, 
and on or before the 10th day of each succeeding month he shall forward the 
name and address of each additional person who has since the previous return 
become a member of the institute. (See clause 0.) 

58. Within one week after the close of each institute meeting or series of 
meetings the seci'etary shall forward to the superintendent a detailed report of 
said meeting or meetings, in which shall be stated the name of the place or 
places where sessions werte held, the number of persons present at each session, 
the name and address of each person who read a paper or gave an address, the 
title of the address or paper, and a comment upon its value — whether good, fair, 
or indifferent. (Use Form A of secretary's minute book for making returns 
required by this clause.) 

.50. On or before 1st day of October the secretary shall report to the super- 
intendent — 

(1) The name of place selected for holding the annual meeting, also the 
name of the hall in which it will be held. 

(2) The decision of the directors as to whether or not they wish tlie superin- 
tendent to arrange that a speaker address their annual meeting. 

(3) The date chosen for holding the annual meeting if section 2 is decided 
in the negative. 

00. The secretary shall, when possible, retain the manuscript of iiapers read 
at a meeting of the institute by local talent, in order that he may, when re- 
quired, furnish the superintendent with same. Each institute is required to 
forward at least two such papers each year, which may be published as the 
superintendent decides. Secretaries or essayists are not required to rewrite 
papers before sending them to the superintendent. Forward them as read at 
local meetings. 

61. All reports, names, post-office addresses, etc., should be written in a 
plain, legible hand, or they may be typewritten. 

TREASURER. 

02. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive and account for all 
moneys belonging to the institute, and disburse the same under the instructions 
of the executive committee, without whose order no money shall be paid out. He 
shall also prepare in detail and in-esent to the annual meeting a duly audited 
statement of receipts and expenditures. 

63. He shall use such cash and receipt books, membership tickets, etc., as 
may be required by the superintendent. 

64. The funds of the institute as received by the treasurer shall, when pos- 
sible, be deposited in a chartered bank to the credit of the institute. 

DIRECTORS. 

65. Each parish in the district shall be divided annually between the directors 
representing the same, whose duty it shall be to make a thorough canvass for 
members each year. This division of territory shall be arranged at a directors' 
meeting held immediately after the close of the annual meeting. 

66. As soon as it is decided to hold an institute meeting in a parish the 
directors elected to represent that parish shall form part of the executive com- 



42 

mittee until after the close of said meeting. The duties of the said directors 
shall be to assist, to the best of their ability, the other members of the execu- 
tive committee, to the end that a successful meeting may be held in their 
district. 

67. It shall be the duty of the officers and directors to be present at the meet- 
ings of the institute. An officer or director who has not during the current 
year attended the meetings held in his parish (except when prevented by sick- 
ness), or otherwise rendered valuable assistance to the institute, shall not be 
eligible for reelection to office for the ensuing yeai*. 

G8. Every officer and director shall promptly answer all official communica- 
tions addressed to him by the superintendent, and should make diligent efforts 
to furnish any information required of him relative to the affairs of the 
institute. 

G9. The officers and directors shall act as far as practicable upon the recom- 
mendations of the su])erintendent and shall subuiit to him tlu-ough the secretary 
all questions relating to the welfare of tlie institute upon which advice may be 
required. 

Expenditure of Institute Funds. 

70. All moneys received, whether as membership fees, legislative grant, or 
otherwise, shall be spent within the district in which the institute operates : 

(1) To defray actual expenses of meetings such as are heretofore described; 

(2) to employ suitable persons to address said meetings; (3) to assist in circu- 
lating agricultural, horticultural, live-stock, and dairy literature or periodicals 
among the members, or to establish a circulating agricultural library for the use 
of members; (4) to remunerate the secretary and others for services rendered. 

Quorum. 

71. At all meetings of the institute or of the officers, if duly advertised as set 
fortn in these rules, ten members shall form a (luorum to do business at an 
annual or other general meeting. At a directors' meeting five shall be a quorum. 
At an executive committee meeting two shall Ite a quorum. If at any meeting 
a quorum is not present, those present shall adjourn, and the meeting shall 
again be called as prescribed by these rules. (See clauses 25 and 47.) 

General Rules. 

72. Each member of an institute shall be entitled to receive the publications 
issued by the dei)artment of agriculture for the Province of New Brunswick. 
Any change of address or any failure to receive the publications issued by the 
agricultural dejiartnient should be reported immediately to the sui)erintendent. 
The names of all officers and directors shall be included in the list of members. 

73. The blank books used shall be those authorized by the department. Blank 
forms for rei)orts of meetings, financial statements, and lists of members, mem- 
bership books, mailing books, cashbooks, etc., may be had from the superin- 
tendent. 

74. All institute returns shall be made to the superintendent. 

Order of Meetings. 

7r>. (a) Except by permission of the jtresiding officer, no member or other 
person shall speak other than to ask a question or to introduce or speak to a 
motion. 



43 

(&) In the discussion folloNA'ing the inti'odiiction of a subject, no person shall 
speak more than twice nor for a longer period than five minutes, except by a 
Aote of the meeting. 

(c) When a question is under consideration, no motion shall be in order 
except the following: (1) To adjourn, (2) to postpone, (3) to amend, and (4) 
those motions talcing precedence in tlie order named, and the first two shall be 
decided without debate. 

(d) Before the vote is taken on any motion or amendment, the president shall 
ask: "Is the meeting ready for the question?" The question shall not be put 
so long as any member desires to speak and is in order. Any member desirous 
of asking a question on the subject introduced may do so verbally, but if he 
desires to ask more than two questions he must submit them to the secretary in 
writing. 

70. Every member is entitled to the following privileges : 

(fl) To protest against any decision of tlie Institute, and request his objection 
to be recorded in the minute book. 

(ft) To protest against the decision of the Chair and appeal to the meeting, 
stating the grounds of appeal, which shall then be put without debate in these 
words: " Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" 

77. A motion to reconsider any question decided by the institute shall be in 
order. 

78. Order of business for general meetings other than the annual : 

(1) Calling the meeting to order liy the president. 

(2) Reading and disi)oslng of connuunications. 

(3) Reports of connnittees. 

(4) Programme of the day and discussion. 

(5) Question drawer. 

(6) Adjournment. 

Suggestions to Officers of Farmers' Institutes. 

There is no general system regarding the payment of secretaries and other 
officers. This is"a matter that nuist l)e left entiiVly in the control of the local 
officers ; yet it is desiral)le tliat. If possible, a uniform system be adopted through- 
out the Province. The following jilan Is respectfully suggested: 

If the institute has a membership of 50, that the secretary receive ten dollars 
annually and all legitimate expenses while attending meetings, whether of the 
institute, the directors, or the executive officers. In addition to this, he may 
receive five dollars for each additional fifty persons who join the institute. By 
this plan an institute with a membership of 2(tO will pay its secretary twenty- 
five dollars net for his services. As a rule the success or failure of an institute 
dei)ends upon the secretary. If an institute has a good secretary, it will fiour- 
ish ; if the secretary is.not up to the mark, the institute will sooner or later go 
to the wall ; therefore the best available man should l)e chosen for this position, 
and he should be liberally dealt with. 

It is not necessary for the directors to meet frequently ; prol)ably once or twice 
a year is often enough, viz. just before and just after the annual meeting; but 
the executive officers (see clauses !t and (it>) should meet mucli more fre(iuently, 
and if the funds of the institute will allow of it, they should be paid their actual 
expenses when attending meetings or when engaged in institute work. 

In order to increase the membership and interest, each district should be can- 
vassed annually, as provided for in clause 75. In order to meet the expenses of 
each director so engaged, a commission of 25 per cent may l)e allowed on each 
subscription taken by him in the section of the parish he represents. In a 



44 

thickly settled district an industrious man should take at least 20 names a day. 
His commission would be $1.25. 

Officers whose expenses are paid otherwise than by commission should he 
required to exercise strict economy. A- statement of all such expenses should 
be presented in detail at the annual meeting. 

If the officer's expenses are paid while attending a meeting, he should not be 
allowed a commission and expenses also. 

Posters and programmes should be printed in the most attractive manner ])os- 
sible. Each institute should adopt and constantly use a certain color of paper, 
ink, and a certain typogra])hical arrangement, which would soon become familiar 
to the people, and therefore recognized and noticed wherever seen. Red ink on 
white paper makes a bill noticeable. The bill and the programme should each 
give, as far as possible, the same information, and the typographical appeai'ance 
should be the same, the only difference being the size of the type and the size of 
the paper used. 

The most desirable size for the poster is about 27 inches long by 14 inches 
wide. The i)aper used for posters should be not lighter than .50 pounds to the 
ream nor more than (!0 pounds ; the latter is the best weight. When tacked on 
a wall or pasted on boards, bills of this weight last much better than the lighter 
ones. They are stiffer and hang better from a cord when put up In stores. 

Progrannnes should be printed on paper 50 pounds to the ream, and may vary 
in size from 5 by 10 inches to r> by 12 inches, according to the size of the sheet 
from which they are cut. Sheets of this size printed on one side only will be 
found cheaper and just as useful as smaller folders printed on both sides. 

When an officer or director is canvassing for members each should take with 
him coines of the publications sent free to memliers during the past year. By 
showing these many more subscriptions can be obtained. 

Each pei'son becoming a member should be given an annual membership 
ticket or badge, the latter preferred. When badges are used each member 
should be requested to wear same whenever he or she is attending institute 
meetings. This will tend to advertise the institute and will make more easy 
and effecutal the work of those selected to canvass the meeting. 

When possible the institute should take the form of a farmers' club. Public 
meetings should be held in each parish at least once during each year; more 
frequently if practicable. 

A sample member's card given below is a very good form : 



Farmers' Institute No. 1. 
addinqton and eldon, restigouche county, 

1901. 



MEMBER'S TICKET 25cents. 



Mr 
Sold by 



Seci'etary, 



This card entitles holder to all publications issued by the department for 
agriculture of New Bi'unswick. 



45 

Rules Governing Delegates. 

1. Each speaker is expected to be thoroughly acquainted witli the act and the 
rules governing farmers' institutes. 

2. Each delegate is requested to study carefully the conditions and needs of 
the district to which he is sent as a speaker, and to prepare his addresses or 
papers accordingly. 

H. The person whose name is placed first on the list in each division is chair- 
man of that delegation, and is expected wisely to direct and control the work 
of that delegation, also the institute meetings to which he is sent. 

4. Each delegate is requested to do all in his power to cause full and free dis- 
cussion after each paper or address has been delivered, and to procure and for- 
ward to the superintendent the name and address of each successful local 
speaker or essayist, and to obtain all the information possible concerning such 
persons; also to inform the sni)erintendent concerning the peculiar needs of the 
district visited as far as the institute work is concerned ; also to forward a short 
report of each meeting. Was each gathering successful? If not, why not? 
After the meetings are thus reported the superintendent will be pleased to 
receive from each delegation or speaker suggestions or advice regarding insti- 
tute work in general or with regard to any particular section. How can the 
efficiency of this important department of agricultural education be increased 
and made more valuabU' to the country? Each delegate or delegation Is 
expected to give the superintendent and the officers of institutes generally the 
full benefit of this experience. 

5. The dates of the institute meetings delegates are to attend will be pub- 
lished. Each delegate is expected to arrive at each place for which he is adver- 
tised at the hour named or a little before, and to continue in attendance during 
said meeting and enthusiastically and promptly to do his duty irrespective of 
what others may do. Shoidd sickness or other serious cause intervene, the 
chairman of the deputation of the delegation shall telegraph the superintendent, 
in order that the vacancy may be promptly filled. 

6. Long speeches or those calculated to advertise the property of the speaker 
are contrary to the rules governing institutes. I'arty politics in any form must 
be avoided by each speaker. The chairman of each delegation and the officers 
of each institute are expected to see that nothing of this kind occurs. Institute 
speakers are expected to teach practical agriculture, nothing else. 

7. A check for a suitable sum to pay actual expenses of the dei)utation will 
be forwarded by the superintendent to the chairman of each deputation before 
the opening of the first meeting. 

8. Each delegate shall pay his expenses to the opening meeting. The chair- 
man of each respective deputation will refund said sum and will thereafter pay 
all expenses of the deputation. If a delegate does not know the way to reach 
the first place of meeting most quickly, the necessary information maj^ be 
obtained by writing to the superintendent or, better still, by calling on the 
nearest railroad ticket agent, who will give the necessary information. 

9. As soon as a delegate completes the work assigned to him he shall forward 
to the superintendent a bill for his time. Each delegate is also required to for- 
ward to the superintendent a copy of at least one of his addresses (the one 
which has proved mo»t acceptable to the hearers preferred or the one chosen by 
the superintendent), and if possible a synopsis of the debate thereon and ques- 
tions and replies thereto, which may be published in the annual report of the 
farmers' institutes or elsewhere, as decided by the superintendent. Some 
speakers withhold their best addresses, not wishing them published, fearing that 



46 

it would detract from their future usefulness. This is a mistake. The publica- 
tion of an able address increases the demand for the speaker and the public 
desire to hear that particular address delivered. 

10. As soon as the work of a deputation or speaker is completed the chairman 
shall forward to the superintendent all aforesaid reports on forms provided for 
the purpose. The financial statement shall be furnished in duplicate. All sums 
of $1 and upward must be verified by a voucher. 

11. The necessary expenses of each delegate are paid by the depai'tmeut from 
the time he leaves home until said persons return thereto ; but each is expected 
to exercise due economy. Each delegate will receive a daily renuineration for 
services for the time absent from home, Sundays excepted, hut each nuist go and 
return by the shortest and (juickest route. A check in payment for services 
will be sent each delegate as soon as the work assigned him or her is completed 
and the required returns and a copy of an address i)repared by said delegate is 
received by the superintendent. 

12. FhiaUy rciiiciiiher: Thorough preparation is the key to success as an 
institute worker. If you have had but little experience as a public speaker, 
carefully write your papers and make them short. Use these papers to assist 
you when addressing a meeting. The speakers should be careful to ascertain 
the time limit assigned them on the programme and be sure to keep within 
said limit. The papers and talks should be illustrated as far as possible by 
means of blackboard work, charts, diagrams, models, specimens, etc. Discuss 
1 hemes on which you are thoroughly and practically well informed, and use 
your own experience and that of others to confirm what you say. Avoid per- 
sonalities. Be courteous ; be helpful. Hold yourself in readiness to promote 
the success of the institute in every way possible. Every time you speak aim 
to enforce some practical lesson adapted to the needs of the audience. 

Special Instructions and Explanations to Institute Officers and 

Delegates. 

delegates. 

The farmers' institute system is nonpolitical in the strictest sense. (See 
clauses 31 and 32 of the acts and rules governing farmers' institutes.) Per- 
sons sent as delegates and orticers and directors of institutes are instructed to 
enforce these rules to the very letter. Delegates are expected not to discuss, 
either directly or indirectly, political or sectarian questions while engaged as 
delegates, either before, after, or during the meetings. It is not necessary for 
them when acting as delegates even to make public their political allegiance. 
It is the policy of the department to send only two delegates as a deputation, 
and in some cases only one, but it will sometimes be found necessary to do 
otherwise. 

The greatest care is exercised in choosing speakers. The services of spe- 
cialists are obtained as far as possible, persons who have been successful in 
special lines, or those who are well qualified to explain profitable methods not 
generally followed. No attention is paid to politics, religion, or nationality 
when choosing delegates; they are chosen because of their qualifications only. 

In some cases the delegates may not l)e prepared to discuss the subject the 
local officers deem of greatest interest. In such cases the officers should employ 
additional persons to deliver addresses of the character desired. These addi- 
tional speakers may be chosen from the list of available delegates or elsewhere. 
A list of available delegates will be prepared and published each year. 

If, from sickness or any other cause, a delegate who is advertised can not 
fulfill his engagements, another person competent to discuss similar subjects 



47 

\\ill be sent in his place. But every precaution will be taken to prevent the 
necessity of changes. When changes are necessary, substitutes will be chosen 
from among the lists of available delegates. 

Delegates are not expected to deliver more than two addresses each daj% and 
in no case to occupy more time than is allotted to them in the programme 
issued by the local officers. 1'he officers of local institutes are expected to 
employ other speakers or essayists. 

The department defrays the cost of sending regular delegates to the regular 
meetings; but officers, directors, and members of institutes are expected to 
lighten, as far as possible, the expenses of the delegates by meeting them at 
the railway station and conveying them free of expense to the place of meet- 
ing and returning them again to the station or forwarding to the next place 
of meeting. 

OFFICERS ANIJ DIRECTORS. 

Institute officers and other interested parties are urged to make themselves 
familiar with the act and rules governing farmers' institutes and delegates, 
and to conduct the respective institutes as nearly as possible on the lines there 
laid down. 

Institute officers should hold meetings of farmers and business men at points 
where meetings are to be held at least four weeks before the said meeting 
convenes for the purpose of engaging a hall and providing an evening's pro- 
gramme ; also to secure some of the best farmers to read papers on branches 
of farming in which they excel, and two or three ladies to give paj^ers on 
some phases of home life or domestic economy. 

Delegates and officers are urged to do all they can, by the use of the question 
drawer and otherwise, to draw out in discussion as many as i)ossible of those 
present. Call upon them personally and urge them to speak. FriH]uently those 
best qualified are least inclined to take part. Try in each case to make the dis- 
cussion interesting by engaging some experienced man to follow each address 
and thus open the discussion. Do not allow one or two to monopolize the 
discussion, but make all feel that they have a part in the proceedings. 

Let it constantly be borne in mind that one of the chief aims of the institu- 
tion is the development of local talent and the bringing of the rank and file 
into close touch with the most successful local men and their methods. Do not 
dei)end altogether on the delegates; if home talent is not developed the chief 
benefit of the institute system is lost sight of. When a poimlar evcMiing's pro- 
grannne is desirable (which is the case in many places) it should be entirely 
supplied by local talent. In every district in New Brunswick there are many 
young people who could be employed to assist in such meetings, and if so 
engaged would in all probability thereafter take a keener interest in the work 
of farmers' institutes. Business and itrofessional men and their families should 
not only be cordially invited to take part in these meetings and help to make 
them a success, but they should be urged to do so. It is reasonable to expect 
their assistance, for the success of all classes depends on the farmer. When he 
is prosperous all other classes, flourish. 

Institute officers are urged to do all in their power to forward the interests 
of their local institute, and to make such suggestions to the superintendent 
as they think are in their interest. He is always glad to receive suggestions 
and advice and is grateful to the sender, but institute officers are resi»ectfully 
requested not to interfere, directly or indirectly, with the affairs or conduct of 
neighboring or distant institutes. Each local institute is (luite capable, with the 
aid of the department and the superintendent, of conducting its own affairs. 
Interference by outsiders accomplishes no good purpose and invariably does 



48 

umch harm. The officers and directors of each local institute are responsible 
for the success of the work of their respective institute districts oidy. '^I'he 
superintendent is responsible for the work throughout the Trovince. 

In order to accommodate the farmers two series of institutes are 
held — one during the months of January and February and one in 
October and November. For institute pm-poses the Province is 
divided into three divisions, with separate sets of lecturers for each 
division. The Dominion department of agricultiu-e each season sends 
lecturers to assist the local and provincial lecturers in giving 
instruction. 

A feature of the work in this Province is that of holding field 
meetings in orchards or fields, where experts give practical demon- 
strations of the methods which they advocate, whether it be ])runing, 
plowing, cidti\ating, grazing, budding, or planting. Over 20 per 
cent of the meetings held in 1903 M-ere of this practical character. 

Another peculiarity of the system is that the secretaries of the local 
institute societies receive compensation for their services. The 
amount is not very much, varying from $5 to $30 per year. No 
doubt this salary, small as it is; has much to do with insuring the 
success of the work, and gives the provincial superintendent a hold 
upon the local society that he Avoiild not have withont it. 

In 1903, 1()2 institute meetings were held, attended by 7,149 persons. 
The membership in the societies reporting ranges from 24 to over 
800. Thirty-six had between 50 and 100 members, eleven between 
100 and 200, and tliree over 200. The average cost per meeting 
was $8.28. 

The superintendent in his report for that year states that — 

The interest in these meetings is constantly increasing, but very nmch of their 
success depends upon the local ofticers. If they are active men. interested in 
the work, and take the trouble to advertise and talk up the institute, the result 
has always Iteen a good attendance. On the other hand, when the local officers 
are indifferent the result is generally poor. 

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA. 

The farmers' institutes in the Northw^est Territories of Canada 
are under the general direction of the territorial commissioner of 
agriculture, who is authorized to appoint a superintendent of fairs 
and institutes. The institute work is combined with that of the 
local agricultural societies. Where no agricultural society exists the 
superintendent of institutes gets some per.son in the neighborhood to 
make such local arrangements for the meetings as may be neces'^ary. 
In all cases the department pays for th3 advertising and the rent of 
the halls for institute meetings. 

The objects of a local agricultural society are defined in the terri- 
torial ordinance to be '' to encourage improvement in agriculture, 
horticulture, manufactures, and the useful arts." 



49 

. I. By holding meetings for the delivery of lectures and for the discussion of 
subjects connected with the theory and practice of any of the said industries. 

II. By promoting the circulation of agricultural, pastoral, horticultural, 
arboricultural, and mechanical periodicals, and by the formation and main- 
tenance of the reference library on such subjects for the use of its members. 

III. By importing and otherwise procuring seeds, plants, and animals of new 
or valuable kinds. 

IV. By holding exhibitions, as hereinafter provided, at which prizes may be 
awarded for — 

(a) Excellence in the raising or introduction of live stock. 

(&) The invention or improvement of agricultural machines or implements. 

(c) The production of grain and all kinds of vegetables, plants, animals, 
fruits, home manufactures, and works of art, and generally for excellence in 
any agricultural production or operation. 

V. By offering prizes for essays on subjects relating to agriculture, including 
the prevention of prairie flres and the eradication of noxious weeds. 

VI. By taking action to eradicate poisonous and noxious weeds and to exter- 
minate such animals as are found to injure or impede agriculture. 

VII. By carrying on experiments in the growing of crops, the feeding of stock, 
or any branch of agriculture, or by testing any system of farming. 

VIII. By affiliating and cooperating with associations organized to imi)rove 
live stock or encourage grain growing, dairying, forestry, fruit growing, or pro- 
mote the study of plant life or the destruction of injurious insects or pests. 

The societies are organized by not less than 50 persons over 18 
years of age and not belonging to any other agricultural society sign- 
ing an application to the connnissioner of agriculture and by each 
paying at least $1 as a membership fee, or as part of his first annual 
subscription to the funds of the proposed society. If the commis- 
sioner approves of the application, he declares the subscribers to be 
organized into an agricultural society and issues a certificate to tluit 
effect. Thereupon the society Ijecomes a corporation, with power to 
hold real estate necessary for the business of the society. 

The officers of the society consist of a president and 2 vice-presi- 
dents, who are ex-officio directors, and 9, 12, or 15 additional elected 
directors as may be determined by the society, a secretary, and a 
treasurer, and 2 auditors. The president, vice-presidents, directors, 
and auditors hold office for one year. The secretary and treasurer 
are appointed from time to time by the directors to hold office during 
pleasure. The societies are required to hold an annual meeting 
within the first ten days of December in each year. 

Each society thus constituted is entitled to receive grants made by 
the legislative assembly in aid of agriculture: One dollar for each 
paid-up member; $5 for each agricultural experiment conducted by 
the society under the direction of the territorial department, and 
Avhere a society holding an agricultural exhibition expends a sum in 
excess of $250 for prizes an amount equal to OGf per cent of the 
amount actually paid for such prizes not exceeding $1,000, 
30372— No. 155—05 m 1 



50 

A list of the officers elected at the annual meeting and a copy or 
summary of each report and statement presented thereat is required 
to be transmitted to the department by the secretary on or before the 
'23d day of December in each year, and in case these particulars are 
not transmitted from any agricultural society Avithin this date it 
can not receive any portion of the legislative grant unless the commis- 
sioner is satisfied by the explanations given that such delay was 
unavoidable or inadvertent, in Avhich case he ma}^ pay the grant after 
deducting $5 for each week of such delay. 

The institute meetings are usually of one day's duration and often 
consist of but a single session. There is no regular stall' of lecturers, 
but the superintendent depends upon securing from time to time the 
services of such men as he may discover to be available. 

The first institute meetings, 19 in number, were held in 1899. The 
number has increased until in 1903 there were 106, and the amount 
expended for institute purposes for that year was $8,200. 

The methods followed b}^ the Territories do not differ materially 
from those in use in the United States, namely, meetings of farmers 
to which lecturers are sent by the department, who discuss various 
subjects relating to agriculture. The sj'stem, however, is worthy of 
the special attention of institute workers from the fact of its coordi- 
nating the institute work with that of the agricultural society, and 
also because of the extent of the supervisory power exercised by the 
department over these local societies. This method consolidates the 
agricultural organizations into a single society in each county or dis- 
trict and empowers it to be the recipient of Government grants, and 
at the same time makes it subject to governmental supervision and 
control by the department of agriculture. 

Instead, therefore, of being weakened by luiving many societies or 
a society for each specialty in agriculture, all subjects are included 
in one organization and recognized in the organization by classifying 
them and thus securing for each the interest and support of all of the 
members of the society, the farmers' institutes having the interest 
and help of the farmers' associations and the farmers' associations in 
turn having the aid of the institutes. 

ONTARIO. 

The farmers' institute movement in Ontario was organized by Dr. 
James Mills, president of the Ontario Agricultural College. The 
first meetings were held in January, 1885. The next year 26 meet- 
ings were held and the third year there were -10 institutes. In 1890 
the Province was divided for institute purjaoses into seven districts, 
and to each institute meeting held in these districts three lecturers 
were sent — a professor from the agricultural college, a leading farmer, 



51 

and a leading frnit grower. In 1894 the work had reached such 
proportions as to require the entire time of a superintendent. 

The movement has steadily grown until the number of meetings 
reported by the superintendent for the year ended June 30, 1904, had 
reached 838, consisting of 1,623 sessions and having a total attend- 
ance of 100,719 persons. The membership for the first six months of 
1904 was 20,957. Thirty-eight lecturers were in the employ of the 
provincial superintendent last year, who spent froili two to ten Aveeks 
in the work. 

One of the special features of the farmers' institutes in Ontario is 
the women's institute. In 1899 the superintendent of institutes ad- 
dressed a letter to the Avomen of the Province, asking their coopera- 
tion in the formation of women's institutes. The response was such 
that 20 organizations were formed the first year, and in May, 1902, 
the number had reached 44, with a membership of 2,816. The move- 
ment had now become an assured success and was regarded as entitled 
to the same recognition and support b}^ the Government as the regular 
institute. Accordingly, in 1902, Parliament passed the following 
amendment to the original farmers' institute act : 

The formation of women's institutes for the purpose of improving rural home 
life and imparting information in regard to woman's work upon the farm shall 
be permitted under this act. The lieutenant-governor in council may, upon the 
recommendation of the minister of agriculture, adopt rules and regulations in 
regard to the organization of women's institutes, the general guidance or direc- 
tion of such institutions, their relation to the farmers' institutes and the depart- 
ment of iigriculture, and the grants of money to which they shall be entitled, 
with the conditions for payment of the same. 

The result has been remarkable. The superintendent of institutes 
for the Province states under date of 8epteml)er, 1904: 

At present we have organizations in 57 electoral districts, and each of these 
districts has from 1 to 8 branches, making a total of about 2(X) places where 
regular monthly or bimonthly meetings are held. During the past year 960 
meetings were held, at which 1,848 pai)ers and addresses were given. The total 
attendance was 44.008. 

The institutes in this Province had the advantage of having been 
organized by a leading educator in agriculture and in having had in 
their development the active support of the faculty of the agricultural 
college at Guelph and the provincial department of agriculture, 
whose members devoted a large amount of their time to giving 
instruction in institute meetings. 

Much of the success of the work has been due to the wisdom dis- 
played in the construction of the system under which the institutes 
are organized and to the choice of officers to take control of the work. 

That the system has operated remarkably well is evidenced l)y the 
interest and success that has distinguished the work from the begin- 
ning. Through the instrumentality of the institutes 40,000 ]:>ersons 



52 

visited the agricultural college at Guelpli in the month of June, 1903. 
These visitors were mostly farmers and their families, who took a day 
to go to the college and see the work that is being done in their inter- 
est on the experiment farm and to become acquainted with the presi- 
dent and members of the college faculty of instructors. 

The work of the institutes has extended so as to include the im- 
provement of the local fairs with a view to making them more highly 
educational and directly useful. 

The methods pursued in carrying on the institute work are fully 
outlined in the accompanying act of the provincial Parliament pro- 
viding for their organization. 

Farmers' Institutes or Ontario, 1899. 

Ill the construction of the farmers' institutes act and of the rules — 

(1) "The department" shall mean the department of agriculture of the 
Province of Ontario. 

(2) "The minister" shall mean the minister of agriculture of the Province of 
Ontario. 

(3) "The superintendent" shall mean the superintendent of farmers' insti- 
tutes for the Province of Ontario. 

(4) "District" shall mean a district composed of municipalities as set forth 
in Schedule A a of the act, rules, and regulations. 

(5) "Regular meetings" are those at which delegates sent hy the superin- 
tendent are present and whose expenses, etc., are paid by the department. 

((») " Supplementary meetings " are those conducted by the local officers. 

(7) "Regular delegates" are those sent annually to assist local officers to 
hold regular meetings. 

(8) " Supplementary speakers " are those sent at the request of local officers 
to assist said officers when holding supplementary meetings. 

FARMERS' INSTITUTE ACT. 

Sec. -46. The formation of farmers' institutes for the purpose of disseminating 
information in regard to agriculture shall be permitted under this act, one for 
each district as given in Schedule "A" a to this act, but the lieutenant-governor 
in council may, upon the recommendation of the minister, authorize the organi- 
zation of additional farmers' institutes or make changes in the limits of the 
various districts, so far as farmers' institutes are concerned, in order to increase 
their efficiency. 

Sec. 47. The lieutenant-governor in council may, upon recommendation of the 
minister, adopt rules or regulations for the general guidance or direction of 
such farmers' institutes. 

Sec. 48. Every farmers' institute shall be entitled to receive such money out of 
the unappropriated funds in the hands of the provincial treasurer as the legis- 
lature may grant ; provided — 

(«) That the number of members is at least 50, each paying an annual fee of 
not less than 25 cents. 

(b) That the rules or regulations approved by the lieutenant-governor in 
council have been carefully observed. 

{(■) That all reports or returns required to be made to the superintendent 
have been made to the satisfaction of the minister. 

o Schedule omitted from this publication. 



53 

Amendments Passed in 1902. 

Section 40 of the said act is amended by adding the following: 
(fl) The formation of women's institutes for the purpose of improving rural 
home life and imparting information in regard to women's work upon the farm 
shall be permitted under this act. 

Section 47 of the said act is amended by adding the following : 
(a) The lieutenant-governor in council may, upon the recommendation of the 
minister, adopt rules and regulations in regard to the org*inization of women's 
institutes, the general guidance or direction of such institutes, their relation 
to the farmers' institutes and the department of agriculture, and the grants of 
money to which they shall be entitled, with the conditions for payment of the 
same. 

RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
[Approved by the lieutenant-governor in council.] 

1. The Ontario legislature has voted an appropriation for farmers' institutes 
for a grant of $25 to one institute in each district, on condition that an equal 
sum be granted by the county council or the municipalities in which the insti- 
tute is organized, and on such further conditions as may l)e imposed by regula- 
tions of the minister of agriculture. 

2. The object of each local institute shall I)e the dissemination of agricultui-al 
knowledge in its district and the development of local talent. The officers shall 
endeavor to bring the rank and file of the farmers into touch with the most 
successful local men, that the masses may become more conversant with the 
best and most profitable methods of farming, stock raising, dairying, fruit 
culture, and all branches of business connected with the industry of agricul- 
ture. 

Organization of Institutes. 

3. One institute may be organized in each district of the Province, exclusive 
of cities, or in such other divisions as the lieutenant-governor in council may 
authorize. 

4. The organization meeting may be called by the superintendent of farmers' 
institutes, Ijy the head of a municii)ality. or by any five farmers of the district; 
imd at least two weeks" previous notice shall be given by advertisement in two 
newspapers ]iul)lished in the district, or I)y iilacard. in which shall be stated 
the object, time, and place of meeting. 

r». As soon as organization is comi)leted the superintendent shall be notified, 
and the names and addresses of the officers and directors shall be forwarded to 
him. 

(t. All memberships shall terminate the 81st of December of each yeai'. (See 
clause 57.) 

7. Each institute shall be known by a distinctive name. 

Officers. 

8. The officers shall consist of a president, a vice-president, and a secretary- 
treasurer, and one or more directors from each municipality included in the 
institute district, except in new or thinly settled districts, when directors may 
be elected irrespective of the municipalities. The president, vice-president, and 
directors shall be elected annually, and, together with the secretary-treasurer, 



54 

shall constitute a board of directors, the majority of whom shall he practical 
farmers. 

9. There shall be an executive committee comi)osed of the iiresident. the vice- 
president, and the secretary-treasurer. 

10. There shall be elected annually two auditors to audit the accounts of the 
institute. 

11. If the secretary-treasurer resigns, or for any cause does not perform the 
duties of his otfice, or if he remove from the district, the president shall imme- 
diately issue a letter calling the officers and directors together, giving each ac 
least ten days' notice. In the meantime the president shall perform the duties 
of the secretary-treasurer. At the time and place appointed the officers and 
directors present shall appoint a secretary -treasurer. In case the presidency is 
vacant, or the president does not take action within ten. days, the vice-president 
shall assume the power of president. Other vacancies shall be filled in like 
manner. 

12. Any change in the personnel of the executive conuuittee or directorate 
shall be reported to the superintendent forthwith. 

Annual Meeting. 

date and place of holding. 

13. The institute year shall begin June 1 and end May 31. 

14. The annual meeting of each institute shall be held on some date to be 
selected between the 1st and 2(»th of June of each and every year. (See clauses 
IG, 17, 18, and 19.) 

15. The newly elected l»oard of directors shall take office at the close of the 
annual meeting. The old I)oard shall remain in office until this time. 

10. Each year a meeting of the directors shall be called l)y the secretary to 
meet some time before the 1st of March. The special business of this meeting 
shall be to arrange for holding the annual meeting. 

17. If it is thought desirable by the directors present at this meeting that a 
delegate or speaker be in attendance at the annual meeting, the same may be 
arranged for through the superintendent, in which case the local institute shall 
pay the actual traveling expenses of tlie delegate or speaker from the time he 
or she leaves home until he or she returns thereto. (See clause 34.) 

18. If it is decided that a request be sent to the superintendent for a speaker 
to attend the annual meeting, the directors shall, in addition, select the place for 
holding above meeting, the date being selected by the suiierintendent, as in the 
case of winter meetings. If, however, it is decided not to ask for a speaker 
through the superintendent, the directors shall select l)oth date and place for 
holding annual meeting, conforming with clause 14. 

19. A full report of this directors' meeting shall be forwarded l»y the secre- 
tary to the superintendent on or before the 1st of March. 

Business at Annl'al Meeting. 

20. At the annual meeting the directors and auditors shall l)e elected for the 
ensuing year. (See clauses 8 and 10.) 

21. At the annual meeting the method of election shall be by ballot or other- 
wise, as decided by the members present. No person shall be eligible for 
office or be entitled to vote at the annual or any other meeting who has not 
paid his fees in full for the current meml)ership year. (See clause ti. ) 

22. At the annual meeting memliers may suggest points in the district where 
institute meetings may be held during the succeeding institute year, first as to 
regular and secondly as to suitplementary meetings. 



55 

23. At tbe annual meeting the executive offloei-s for the past institute year 
shall, tlu'ougli the secretary-treasurer, present to the meeting, in writing, a 
cai-efully prepared report of the proceedings of the year, in which shall be 
stated the number of institute meetings held since the last annual report, the 
attendance at each sessicm. the total number of papers read and addresses 
delivered, and a statement of the financial condition of the institute. The 
financial statement shall first be audited and certified thereto by the auditors. 

24. The annual meeting shall be devoted to the business of the institute, as 
specified in clauses 20, 21, 22, and 2;'>. and in carrying out the " progranune of 
the annual meeting." and in considering ways and means whereby the institute 
can be improved. 

25. The annual meeting shall be advertised by mailing to each member, at 
least ten days before the date thereof, an announcement calling the members 
together. Said announcement shall specify the date, place, and hour of meet- 
ing, and shall contain a programme of said meeting. If the executive deem it 
in the interest of the institute, posters and newsi)aper advertising may also be 
employed to make this meeting publicly known. 

Order of Business for Annual Meeting. 

26. (1) President's report. 

(2) Discussion thereon. - 

(3) Report of the executive committee, i)resented in writing by the secretary- 
treasurer. 

(4) Auditors' report, presented in writing. 

(5) Suggestion of points at which to hold regular meetings. 

(0) Suggestion of points at which to hold supplementary meetings. 

(7) Election of directors ; election of auditors. 

(8) Suggestions as to how the institute can be improved or made more useful, 
if this has not already been considered by the president in his o])ening address 
or the discussion following. 

(9) Addresses, etc. 

27. At the close of the annual meeting the new board of directors shall meet 
and elect from among themselves a president and a vice-president, and shall 
finally decide at what points in the district regular and supplementary meetings 
shall be held during the current institute year. The points selected shall be 
entered on page C of the secretary's minute book, and a copy of this page shall 
be sent to the superintendent and shall be considered as part of the report of 
the annual meeting. 

28. The board of directors shall, at the close of the fii'st annual meeting, and 
when afterwards necessary, appoint from among themselves or otherwise a 
secretary-treasurer, who shall remain in oHice during pleasure. 

29. In case an institute shall, through any cause, fail to hold its annual meet- 
ing within the time specified, the superintendent may appoint a date for holding 
same, the meeting to be called as provided for the regular annual meeting, and 
this meeting shall, in all particulars, be taken as the annual meeting of the 
institute. 

Other General Meetings. 

30. In addition to the annual meeting, each institute shall hold at least four 
meetings each yeai-, at which papers shall be read oi- addresses delivered on 
topics relating to agriculture, horticulture, dairying, or kindred subjects. Free 
discussion shall be encouraged. (See explanation, p. 01, clause B.) 

31. All institutes organized under the act shall be strictly nonpartisan and 
nonsectarian in every phase of their work, and no institute shall be operated 



56 

in the interest of any party, sect, or society, but for the equal good of all citizens 
and the farniing community. 

32. No subject shall be presented at an institute meeting or discussion allowed 
of a political or sectarian nature; nor shall any speaker be allowed in his lec- 
ture, essay, or speech, or in any discussion, to advertise wares or schemes in 
which he has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest. The delegates and officers 
of the institute shall see that the exercises are not subordinated to any low or 
frivolous entertainments or to the aggrandizement of any individual, party, or 
sect. 

33. The regular delegation shall visit two points only in one year in each 
institute district, or when said delegation spends two days at one place that 
point only shall be visited. The government will defray the cost of sending 
these delegates, but officers and members of institutes are expected to lighten as 
far as possible the expenses of delegates while in their district. 

34. Should any institute require a speaker or speakers at any other i)eriod dur- 
ing the year to assist in holding supplementary meetings, application for assist- 
ance shall be made to the superintendent at the time of reporting the annual 
meeting. The department will pay for t'le services of such supplementary 
speaker or speakers for four days in each year for each institute district, but 
the institute requiring the services of said speaker or speakers shall pay all 
legitimate expenses from the time said jierson or persons leave home xuitil they 
return thereto. When a delegate or delegates address meetings in more than 
one district the expenses will be equitably divided between said institutes and 
collected from the institute or deducted from their grant. 

35. If an institute decides to hold supplementary meetings other than those 
asked for at the time of reporting the annual meeting, or for more than four 
days during one year, said Institute shall pay all expenses and wages. This 
clause shall not apply to the annual meeting. 

3G. If a regular or supiilementary meeting has been granted and the time 
and place published in the annual bulletin, no change shall be made in said 
time or place. Any institute failing to hold a supplementary meeting imblished 
as aforesaid shall be required to pay the expenses notwithstanding. 

37. All requests for assistance to hold agricidtural, horticultural, live-stock, 
or dairy meetings shall be made through the secretary of the district institute. 
Applicants should state what subjects they wish the speaker to discuss. 

38. Every meeting of an institute, except the annual meeting, should be adver- 
tised l)y issuing posters, not less in size than 15 by 20 inches, on which should be 
printed an attractive progrannne of the meeting, giving date and place of meet- 
ing, hour of opening, the name and address of the speakers, topics to be discussed 
by each ; also the hour at which each speaker will address the meeting and the 
time to be occupied by each address; also the time allowed for discussion after 
each address, and such other information as the executive committee deems 
necessary. A copy of said bill should be sent at least two weeks previous to the 
date of meeting to each postmaster, each schoolmaster, each miller, each black- 
smith, and to other places of public resort in the district which are within a 
radius of 10 miles of the place of meeting, with a request to post in a conspicu- 
ous place. It shall be the duty of the officers and directors to exercise diligence 
to insure the proper posting of said bills. In addition thereto, a programme of 
convenient size, containing similar information, should be distributed so as to 
reach its destination at least ten days previous to date of meeting. A copy of 
said programme should be sent to each member of the institute, to farmers, 
journalists, public men, and others in the district who reside within 10 miles of 
the place of meeting. Such posters and programmes should announce that all 



57 

interested are welcome, whether nieiiihers of the institute or not. Copies of 
said progranmies sliould be sent to tlie school-teacliers in tlie district, with tlic 
recinest that tliey he carefully distributed among the children. 

39. A copy of each poster and each progrannne shall be sent, as soon as pub- 
lished, to the superintendent and to each speaker advertised. 

40. AVhen institutes are notified of the dates assigned for their meetings, and 
are furnished with the names of the speakers and a list of topics, the executive 
connnittee should proceed to complete arrangements according to these rules-. 
They should finally engage the hall, select local talent, etc. At least half of the 
time of each meeting should be occupied by local talent. The hall or other build- 
ing to he used for holding the institute meetings should be lighted and heated, 
when such is necessary, at least half an hour before the time advertised. When 
light and heat are not required, said places should be opened and prei)ared for 
holding the meeting at least one-half hour before the time advertised. 

41. The time allowed speakers should be from five to thirty minutes, to vary 
according to the subject and the ability of the speaker. It is no breach of 
courtesy to limit each speaker to the time allotted him in the progranune. When 
the programme has been carefully prepared on that basis, no speaker should be 
allowed to exceed the time, to the embarrassment or detriment of the speakers 
who are to follow him. If speakers are held down to their time the work of the 
institutes, as a rule, will be benefited. Sessions should not be too long. 

42. No one should lie named on a progranmie who has not agreed to do the 
specific thing he is advertised to do. 

43. At each meeting of the institute a committee should be appointed to can- 
vass the audience for members. 

Board or Director.s. 

44. The board of directors, under these rules and regulations, shall have l\dl 
control of the affairs of the institute. They shall arrange time and places of 
meetings, when not otherwise arranged for, and shall outline the work and policy 
of the institute. 

45. The directors of each local institute shall convene each year in the month 
of February for the jinrpose of arranging for the annual meeting. At this 
meeting the order of business shall be as follows: 

(1) Selection of a place for holding the annual meeting. 

(2) Shall a request be sent to the superintendent for a delegate to attend the 
annual meeting? 

(3) If it is decided not to send a request to the superintendent for the serv- 
ices of a delegate, the directors shall select a date on which to hold the annual 
meeting, which shall be between the 1st and 2()tli of .Tune. (See clauses 14, 
16, 17, and 18.) 

Executive Committee. 

40. The executive connnittee shall carry into effect the jilan of work decided 
upon by the boai'd of directors and shall arrange the details of the same. (See 
clauses 9 and 60.) 

Notice of Meetings. 

47. A meeting of the directors or of the executive committee may be held at 
any time, provided one week's notice by letter be given to each director, in the 
case of a directors' meeting, and a similar notice to each executive officer in case 
of an executive connnittee meeting. Meetings of the executive officers or of the 
directors may be held on shorter notice, provided each director or executive 
officer be otherwise notified and agrees thereto. (See clause 25.) 



58 

Duties of Officers, 
pkesident. 

48. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the 
board of directors and of the executive committee. In the absence of the presi- 
dent the vice-president shall preside, and if both are absent a chairman shall 
be appointed by the committee. 

.•SECRET ARY-TREA.SITRER. 

49. Tlie secretary-treasurer shall have the powers of a managing director, 
acting luider the control and with the approval of the executive committee. 

SECRETARY. 

50. It shall 1)0 the duty of the secretary to call meetings of the executive 
conunittee and l)oard of directors upon the authority of the in-esident or any 
two officers or directors ; to give notice of all meetings as required by these 
rules, and keep correct minutes of the proceedings. 

51. All official correspondence relating to the institute shall be conducted 
by the secretary or in the name of the secretary. 

52.' In all corres])ondence relating to the institute the name of the institute 
shall be given in full after the signature of the officer, except in cases where 
an official heading is used giving the name of the institute. 

5.S. All reports and returns required by the superintendent shall be made 
upon forms especially provided and in the manner indicated. 

54. The secretary shall keep a book in which shall be entered the names and 
addresses of members in alphabetical order, also a book to be used as a mailing 
list, which shall contain the names of parties to whom posters, programmes, 
etc., may be sent. 

55. It shall I)e the duty of the secretary to prepare and submit to the execu- 
tive conunittee the annual report as set forth in clause 3, and to present the 
final reiK)rt to the annual meeting. 

5G. Not later than the 1st day of .Inly of each and every year he shall for- 
ward to the superintendent, by registered mail or otherwise, copy of said report, 
together with a copy of the financial statement and the name and address of 
each officer and director elected for the ensuing institute year. 

57. On or before the 10th day of January of each year the secretary shall 
send a revised list of members for the current membership year to the superin- 
tendent, and on or before the 10th day of each succeeding month he shall for- 
ward the name and address of eacli additional person who has since the previous 
return become a member of the institute. (See clause 0.) 

58. Within one week after the clo.se of each institute meeting or series of 
meetings the secretary shall forward to the superintendent a detailed report of 
said meeting or meetings, in which shall be stated the name of the place or 
places where sessions were held, the number of persons present at each ses- 
sion, the name and addi'ess of each person who read a paper or gave an address, 
the title of the address or paper, and a coimnent upon its value, whether good, 
fair, or indifferent. (Use Form A of secretary's minute book for making returns 
required by this clause.) 

59. On or before the 1st day of March the secretary shall report to the super- 
intendent — 

(1) The name of place selected for holding the annual meeting; also the 
name of the hall in which it will be held. 



59 

(2) The decision of the directors as to whether or not they wish the superin- 
tendent to arrange that a s])ealver address tlieir annual meeting. 

(3) The date chosen for liolding tlie annual meeting if section 2 is decided in 
the negative. 

GO. The secretary shall, when possihle, retain the manuscript of all pajiers 
read at meetings of the institute by local talent, in order that he may, when 
required, furnish the superintendent with the same. Each institute is required 
to forward at least two such papers each year, which may lie published as the 
superintendent decides. Secretaries or essayists are not recpiired to rewrite 
papers before sending them to the suiierintendent ; forward them as read at 
local meetings. 

01. All reports, names, post-offlce addresses, etc., should be written in a plain, 
legible baud, or they may be typewritten. 

TREASURER. 

62. It shall be the dutj' of the treasurer to receive and account for all moneys 
belonging to the institute, and disburse the same under the instructions of the 
executive committee, wi4;hout whose order no money shall be paid out. He 
shall also prepare in detail and present to the annual meeting a duly audited 
statement of recei])ts and expenditures. 

G3. He shall use such cash and receipt books, membership tickets, etc., as may 
be required by the superintendent. 

(34. The funds of the institute as received by the treasurer shall, when possible, 
be deposited in a chartered bank to the credit of the institute. 

DIRECTORS. 

05. Each municipality in the district shall be divided annually between the 
directors representing the same, whose duty it shall be to make a thorough can- 
vass for members each year. This division of territory shall be arranged at a 
directors' meeting held immediately after the close of the annual meeting. 

66. As soon as it is decided to hold an institute meeting in a municipality, 
the directors elected to represent that municipality shall form part of the 
executive committee until after the close of said meeting. The duties of the 
said directors shall be to assist to the best of their ability the other members 
of the executive committee, to the end that a successful meeting may be held 
in their nmnicipality. 

07. It shall be the duty of the officers and directors to be present at the meet- 
ings of the institute. An officer or director who has not during the current 
year attended the meetings held in his municipality (except when prevented 
by sickness), or otherwise rendered valuable assistance to the institute, shall 
not be eligible for reelection to office for the ensuing year. 

68. Every officer and director shall promptly answer all official communica- 
tions addressed to him by the superintendent, and should make diligent efforts 
to furnish any information required of him relative to the affairs of the 
institute. 

09. The officers and directors shall act as far as practicable upon the recom- 
mendations of the superintendent, and shall submit to him, through the secre- 
tary, all questions relating to the welfare of the institute upon which advice 
may be required. 

Expenditure of Institute Funds. 

70. All moneys received, whether as members' fees, legislative grant, grant from 
the county councils or from municipalities, or otherwise, shall be spent within 
the district in which the institute operates: (1) To defray actual expenses of 



60 

meetings such as are heretofore described; (2) to employ suitable persons to 
address said meetings: (3) to assist in circulating agricultural, horticultural, 
live-stock, and dairy literature or periodicals among the members, or to estab- 
lish a circulating agricultural lilirary for the use of members; (4) to remuner- 
ate the secretary and others for services rendered; (5) to make au annual 
grant (not exceeding jpiO) to the women's institute in the district. 

Quorum. 

71. At all meetings of the institute or of the officers, if duly advertised as 
set forth in these rules, 10 members shall form a quorum to do business at an 
annual or other general meetiiig. At a directors' meeting five shall be a quorum. 
At an executive conunittee meeting two shall be a quorum. If at any meeting 
a quorum is not present, those present shall adjourn and the meeting shall 
again be called as prescribed by these rules. (See clauses 25 and 47.) 

General Rules. 

72. Each member of an institute shall be entitled to receive a copy of such 
publications as the following, issued by the department of agriculture fur the 
Province of Ontario : 

Report of the Ontario Agricultural College and Experimental Farm. 

Report of the Ontario Agricultural and Experimental Union. 

Report of the Butter and Cheese Association of Eastern Ontario. 

Rej^ort of the Butter and Cheese Association of Western Ontario. 

Report of the superintendent of farmers' institutes. 

Report of the Dominion cattle, sheep, and swine breeders' associations. 

Report of the poultry associations, east and west. 

Report of the good roads instructor. 

Bulletins of the agricultural college and experimental farm. 

Any change of address or any failure to receive the bulletins and reports 
issued by the agricultural department should be reported immediately to the 
superintendent. 

The names of all officers and directors shall lie included in the list of members. 

73. The blank books used shall be those authorized by the dei)artment. 
Blank forms for reports of meetings, financial statements, and lists of members, 
membershiii books, mailing books, cashl)ooks, etc., may be had from the super- 
intendent. 

74. All institute returns shall be made to the superintendent. 

Order of Meetings. 

75. (o) Except by permission of the presiding officer, no member or other 
person shall speak other, than to ask a question or to introduce or speak to a 
motion. 

{!)) In the discussion following the introduction of a subject, no person shall 
speak more than twice nor for a longer time than five minutes, except by a 
vote of the meeting. 

(c) When a question is under consideration, no motion shall be in order ex- 
cept the following: (1) To adjourn; (2) to postpone; {?,) to amend — these 
motions taking precedence in the order named, and the first two shall be 
decided without debate. 

{(I) Before the vote is taken on any motion or amendment, the president shall 
ask: "Is the meeting i-eady for the (luestion?" The (piestion shall not be put 
so long as any member desii*es to speak and is in order. Anj' member desii'ous 



61 

of asking a question on the subject Introduced may do so verbally, but if he 
desires to ask more than two questions he must svibniit tliem to the secretary in 
writing. 

76. Every member is entitled to the following privileges : 

(«) To protest against any decision of the institute, and request his objection 
to be recorded in the minute book. 

(/>) To protest against the decision of the Chair and appeal to the meeting, 
stating the grounds of appeal, which shall then l»e put without debate in these 
words: " Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained".'"^ 

77. A motion to reconsider any question decided by the institute shall be in 
order, providing such a motion be not made on the same day on which the reso- 
lution is carried. 

78. Order of business for general meetings other than the annual : 

(1) Calling the meeting to order by the president. 

(2) Reading and disposing of communications. 

(3) Reports of committees. 

(4) Programme of the day, and discussion. 

(5) Question drawer. 

(6) Adjournment. 

Explanations. 

A. In framing the act and rules special care has been taken to lessen rather 
than increase the work of the local secretaries. 

B. (See clause 30.) The four meetings referred to in clause 30 may include 
the regular and supplementary meetings of the institute ; picnics, if addresses 
on agricultural subjects are given, or if the point visited is one of agricultural 
interest, such as an experimental station, a noted farm, etc. ; also official meet- 
ings called to meet the superintendent. A meeting contiiuiing two days may be 
counted as two meetings. Each of the aforesaid meetings should be reported as 
set forth in clause 58. 

Legislative Grants. 

C. The reports of the annual meetings must be sent to the superintendent not 
later than July 1. As soon as these have been completed in satisfactory form, 
the superintendent will notify the minister of agriculture, and the legislative 
grants will be paid as soon as convenient. If all reports are made out and for- 
warded in accordance with these instructions, the officers will receive the grants 
about August 1, or within a few days thereafter. 

aUEBEC. 

The farmers' institute Avork in the Province of Qneboc is organized 
in the form of incorporated farmers' chibs. The club has the power 
" to acquire and possess lands for holding exhibitions, for establish- 
ing agricultural schools or model farms, and may sell, lease, or other- 
wise dispose of the same, but can not own more than 200 acres of land 
at a time." 

Any agricidtural club may have " animals of improved breed, sold 
by auction or otherwise, without paying the duties required by law, 
provided the purchasers undertake to keep such animals within the 
territorial district of the club during such time and upon such con- 
ditions as the club may determine." 



62 

The clubs are empowered to " promote and favor experiments in 
farming, manuring, and improved agi'iciiltural machinery and im- 
plements; encourage the study of the best methods of fattening 
cattle, the production of milk or manufacture of butter or cheese, 
and the improving and draining of lands." 

The funds the clubs derive from subscription of its 'members and 
from public grants are not allowed to be expended for refreshments, 
visits, entertainments, or anything similar thereto. 

Formation of Clubs. 

The statutes provide that — 

(1) One or more farmers' chihs may l)e formed in any territorial division 
erected for the purpose of establishing agricultural societies, and such clubs 
shall enjoy all of the advantages and j)rivileges of such societies. 

(2) There can not be more than one club in any jiarish whatever may be the 
luimber of municipalities in sucli parish, nor more than one club in either 
municipality or township. 

(3) The club must have at least 25 members who have subscribed the total 
amount of $.30 and who signed the following agreement and transmitted the 
same to the minister of agriculture : 

" We, whose names are subscribed hereto, agree to form ourselves into a club, 
inider the provisions of tlie law respecting agriculture and colonization, to be 

called the Farmers' Club (of the parish or municipality, as the case may 

be) of ; and we hereby and severally agree to pay to the treasurer 

yearly while we continue members of tlie club the sums set opposite our 
respective names, and we further agree to conform to the rules and by-laws of 
the said club." 

If the minister of agriculture deems it expedient to authorize the formation of 
the club, he inunediately causes a notice of its formation to be published in the 
Quebec Official Gazette. 

(4) The club is composed of the persons who have signed such declaration 
as long as they continue to pay an annual subscription, and of all persons who 
in the future shall pay such annual subscription. 

(5) The amount of the annual subscription to become a member of the club 
is fixed at $1, but members may subscribe more if they wish so to do. 

(0) If more than $2 is j)aid by any one member, the board of managers is 
jiuthorized to give him seed and fertilizers, or any oTlier thing calculated to 
aid in his farming operations, to an amount eciual to the additional sum paid 
by him. 

Meetings of Clubs and Elections of Directors. 

1(375«. An annual general meeting of the members of every club shall be held 
on the second Wednesday in December in each year, and, in the territorial dis- 
tricts where there is no clul), a meeting for the formation of a club may be held 
on the same date. 

1675o. Such meeting shall be convened by notice posted up or read at the 
church doors, or at any other public place in the territorial district of the 
organized or projected club, at least eight days before such meeting, by order of 
the president of the club or, in liis absence, of the vice-president of the society ; 
and in districts where no clul) has yet been organized the same shall be done 
by order of the mayor or a councilor of a municipality, and the persoii who 



63 

shall have called the said meeting shall be entitled to preside at the said meet- 
ing until a president is elected. 

1675/). At such meeting the club elects seven directors, who must be chosen 
from amongst the members of the club. 

Hu5q. At its first meeting after the annual general meeting, or on the day 
of the annual meeting, if all the directors are present, the board of directors 
elects a president and a vice-president from amongst the directors, and a sec- 
retary-treasurer, who must be taken from outside of the board of directors, 
and who, after his election, does not form part of such board. 

lG75r. The meeting for the formation of a club or the election of directors 
of a newly organized club, may be held at any time after notice published in 
the manner indicated in article l(J75o,- but no club is entitled to any share of 
the grant for the year during which it was organized unless the organization 
and election of directors have taken place before the 1st of May of such year. 

1G75«. The officers and directors of each club shall, dm-ing the year immedi- 
ately following the annual meeting, and mitil the election of their successors, 
exercise all the powers conferred on the club by this section. 

In case of vacancies during the year among the officers or directors, such 
vacancies shall be filled up by the board of directors. 

1675f. They shall hold their meetings according to the terms of the ad.iourn- 
ment or to a notification in writing, forwarded to each of them by order of the 
president, or, in his absence, by order of the vice-president, or of the president 
pro tempore, three days at least before the day fixed for the holding of such 
meeting. 

1675m. At any meeting four shall form a (luorum. 

1675(7. The officers and directors shall have full power, at every meeting, to 
make regulations and by-laws for the government of the club and to modify 
and repeal the same: Proiidcd alirays, That such regulations and by-laws 
be consistent with those published by the council of agriculture and be sub- 
mitted in every case for the approval of the minister of agriculture. 

1675m). The directors shall, whenever the minister of agriculture deems ex- 
pedient, convene a general meeting of the members of such club, at which 
lectures on agricultiu-e shall be given. 

The public shall be admitted to such lectures. 

In default of holding such meetings when i-equired by the minister of agri- 
culture, the i)rovincial grant may be taken away. 

During the fifteen days following such meeting the president and secretary 
shall sign and transmit to the minister of agriculture a report setting forth 
the date of the meeting, the name of the lectui'er or lecturers, the subjects dealt 
with, and the approximate number of pei-sons i)resent. 

1675.r. The directors shall draw up and submit, at the annual meeting, a 
detailed report of their operations during the year that is abovit to end, declar- 
ing and showing the names of all the members of the club, the amount sub- 
scribed and paid by each of them, the names of all persons to whom prizes shall 
have been awarded, the amount of each such prize, and the name of the article 
or head of cattle for which the prize was awarded, the number and date of the 
genei-al meetings, the name of the lecturer or lecturers, the subjects treated 
and the approximate number of persons present, together with such other re- 
marks on the agriculture of the county and the improvements which either have 
been or may be introduced into the same, as the board of directors is in a posi- 
tion to offer. 

1675//. They shall further submit at the said meeting a detailed statement 
of the receipts and expenditures of the club during the year. 

1675^. The said report and statement, when approved by the meeting, shall be 
entered in the journal of the club kept for such purpose, which entry shall 



64 

he signed by the president or vice-president, as faithful and correct, and a copy 
thereof, attested l)y the president, vice-president, or secretary, for the time heing, 
shall he transmitted to the minister on or l>efore the 1st day of January fol- 
lowing. 

Each club is entitled to an annual grant of 50 cents per member, taken from 
the sum appropriated to the payment of grants to agricultural societies, and 
every member is further entitled to receive the Journal of Agriculture and Hor- 
ticulture, notwithstanding no club shall receive in any year less than $25 nor 
more than $50 in addition to the Journal of Agriculture and Horticulture, and 
no grant can be given to a club unless $30 have been subscribed and paid to 
its treasurer by at least 25 members. 

1675??. The grant shall be due and payable to each clul) so soon as the report, 
statement of accounts, and scheme of operations thereof shall have received 
the approval of the minister, and so soon as the president and secretary-treas- 
urer or any other officer of the club shall have transmitted to the minister an 
affidavit, in the form of Schedule F o of this section, sworn to before a justice 
of the peace, setting forth the members then forming part of the club whose 
subscriptions for the current year have been paid into and are in the hands of 
the treasurer. 

The said affidavit shall be sent by registered letter to the department of agri- 
culture on or before the 1st of September in each year. If it be not transmitted 
at such date or within the thirty days following the grant for that year may be 
suppressed ; but it ^hall be the duty of the secretary of the council of agricul- 
ture to give notice on the 1st day of July in each year to all chilis, by a regis- 
tered letter addressed to the secretary-treasurer of each such club, that its 
grant for the year will not be allowed if the affidavit reiiuired by this article 
has not been transmitted by registered letter to the said department, as by 
law required. 

1675f/(/. If a clul) neglects for two years to comply with the requirements of 
the present section the minister may declare it dissolved, realize its property, 
and employ the proceeds in paying the debts of such club, and use the surplus 
of the assets over the liabilities for encouraging agricultural institutions and 
for promoting the general interests of agriculture in the county in which such 
club existed. 

liuZ^bbb. After an existence of five years such soe-iety may at any time be 
dissolved by the minister upon petition of the majority of the clubs composing 
the same. 

The minister may, if he orders the dissolution, take possession of the property 
of the dissolved society, realize it, pay the debts, as well out of the proceeds of 
its property as out of the grants to the clubs of the county, and if there is any 
surplus may distribute it among the agricultural institutions of the same county 
or territorial division. 

1675CCC. Every club forming part of a society and not having the amount of 
subscriptions and the number of members recjuired by law may. however, con- 
tinue to exist and to receive its grant, provided it has at least 15 members and 
$15 of subscriptions. 

IQlTxhkl. All the provisions of the revised statutes respecting clubs and agri- 
( ultnral societies apply to clubs' societies and to the clubs composing them, in 
so far as they are not inconsistent with this section. 

The deputy niinister of agriculture for the l^rovince, who has 
direction of the ifistitute work, reports that over 000 farmers' chibs 

o Schedule omitted from this publication. 



65 

were in operation in the Province in 190'2, of which nnmber 555 com- 
plied with all of the conditions imposed by the law, and received 
altogether $22,427.50 from the government grant. 

The institnte lecture force consists of two permanent lecturers 
appointed by the provincial government, assisted by specialists and 
good i^ractical farmers. Lectures are also given by experts sent in 
by the Dominion government. The institute meetings are not con- 
fined to any particular season of the 3^ear, but 'may be held at any 
time convenient for the farmers of the locality. 

The number of members in 1902 was 48,294, and to each of these 
the Journal of Agriculture and Horticulture Avas sent gratuitously 
twice a month. The superintendent states also : "" We consider farm- 
ers' clubs to be more effective as they are organized than if they were 
mere institutes. The lectures and the increased circulation of the 
Journal of Agriculture, as well as the purchase of improved live 
stock, has greatly contributed to the improvement of agriculture in 
the Province." Most of these clubs own standard breeds of stock, 
and in 1902 they bought liigh-bred aninuils to the value of $11,239.37. 

Extracts from By-Laws. 

Article .>Sff. Article 53 of the by-laws of the council of agriculture is appli- 
cable to the farmers' clubs in fixing the total value of the distribution at an 
amount which shall not exceed the subscription of each member, except in alto- 
gether special cases, of which the council shall l)e the judge. 

Article o'.ib. In the case where clubs should consider it advantageous to hold 
a competition for the best-kei»t farms, such clubs shall l)e obliged to offer not 
less than five prizes, viz: First prize, $5; second prize, ^i; third prize, $3; 
fourth prize, )j!2 ; fifth prize, .$1. Each club may, nevertheless, offer prizes of a 
greater value. These prizes shall only be paid in books treating of agriculture, 
in improved agricultural implements, in seeds, or high-class breeding stock, as 
the directors may decide. 

Article 53c. Every member of a club who shall have paid his subscription of 
$1 and an additional special entry of 25 cents l)efore the 1st of May shall have 
tlie right to compete in the competitions for the best-kept farms. 

Article 92. No competitor shall be entitled tp more than one prize in the same 
class, and no animal can compete in more than one class except for prizes 
offered for the best herds. 

Article 121m. Agricultural societies and clubs have the power in competitions 
for the best-kept farms to admit or to refuse to admit to the next competition 
the person who carried off the first prize at the last competition, as they may 
consider it most advantageous to their respective associations. 

GREAT BRITAIN. 

The movement in aid of agriculture in Great Britain culminated 
in 1887 in the appointment by Parliament of a departmental connnis- 
sion, for the purpose of " inquiring into, and reporting upon agri- 
cultural and dairy schools in Great Britain, which may appropriately 
30372— No. 155—05 m 5 



66 

receive Government grants, and to advise as to the department whicli 
should be charged with the administration of such grants." 

In an ehiborate report dated December i), 1887, and in a subse- 
quent final report, under date of February 27, 1888, the commission 
outlined a s^'stem of agricultural instruction which was substan- 
tially adopted by Parliament the same year. The report recom- 
mended the extending of Government aid to certain institutions, 
charging them Avith the dnty of providing instruction in agriculture, 
the distril)ution of the parliamentary grants to be in the hands of 
a board of agriculture, to be created for this puri)ose. 

The plan contemplated the establishing of a collegiate center in 
each of the five produce districts of England, and wdth two addi- 
tional for Scotland. The produce districts referred to Avere each 
made up of a munber of counties which the agricultural department 
treat as a unit in making estimates of crops. 

The first annual grant w^as £5,000, and was appropriated in 1888. 
It was made the duty of the college receiving aid from the Govern- 
ment grant to provide not only for giving instruction in agricul 
ture indoors, but to extend its work through the particular produce 
district or area of which it was the recognized educational center. 

Migratory Schools. 

In providing agricultural instruction for the outlying counties, 
" migratory schools " under the direction of the collegiate centers 
w^ere organized. The conditions under which these schools are 
operated vary somewdiat in the different districts. The report of the 
inspector appointed to visit and report upon the work of the travel- 
ing schools in the Swdndon district gives the details of the method 
that is pursued in establishing and conducting a traveling dairy 
school. The report states that — 

Tlie society (Bath and West of England Society) with the assistance of a 
local committee organizes the school and provides teachers and necessary appli- 
ances. The local committee guarantees suitable premises free of charge, also as 
much milk and cream as may be required, together with the attendance of not 
less than ten students. The society gives, as a rule, two complete courses of 
instruction of ten days each, charging : 

£ s. d. 
For the entire course of ten days or over 110 

For one week's instruction 15 

For one day's instruction 5 

The manufactured produce is in all cases the property of the local committee. 

During the year 1889 this society organized and conducted 8 
such schools, aggregating one hundred and sixty days of instruction 
and attended by 218 students. Similar perijDatetic schools were con- 
ducted during this period by the University College of North Wales, 



67 

the Leicester Educational Committee, the Eastern Counties Dairy 
Institute, and tlie British Dairy Farmers' Institute. 

As has been stated, the board of agricuhure, in organizing the Avork 
of agricultural education for Great Britain, adopted the plan of 
grouping the counties, establishing an agricultural college or high 
school in each group, the work of agricultural education in each to 
be largely under the general direction of the central institution. 

In 1800 an important modification of the work of providing for 
agricndtural instruction was brought about through the passage of 
an excise act by Parliament, whereby the local authorities, known as 
colinty councils, Avere afi'orcled large additional resources derived from 
local taxation, and Avere intrusted Avith discretionary poAver to use 
the funds thus supplied, in providing such forms of agricultural 
teaching as Avere embraced in the technical-instruction act of 1889. 
Until this time financial support for local agricultural institutions 
Avas from the (TOAernment grant, and the formation of the courses of 
study Avas in the hands of the central college established for the dis- 
trict. The legislation of 1890 rendered the counties independent of 
GoA'ernment aid in carrying on their agricultural education Avork 
and enabled them to inaugurate a system of instruction of their own. 

The sums thus placed at the disposal of the county councils are 
quite considerable. In 1901-2 the receipts from the excise tax, 
available for technical instruction in England and Wales, amounted 
to £708,.517. Of this sum £88,893 were used directly in 1902-3 in 
aid of agricultural education. The distribution for that year Avas as 
follows : 

General expenditures £7,223 

Dairy instruction 12,845 

Agricultural lectures 5,71.5 

Poultry keeping 3, 284 

Farriery and Aeterinary science 2, 542 

Bee keeping 1, 380 

Horticulture 10, 562 

Manual proeesses 1,511 

Miscellaneous 4, 743 

Scholarships 10, 800 

Colleges and schools 28,288 

Total 88,893 

When the Government grant for agricultural education Avas first 
made and for two years thereafter the board of agriculture aided the 
county councils from this general grant, but Avhen the act of 1890, 
making provision for agricultural educational Avork in the counties, 
became effective the funds belonging to the parliamentary grant Avere 
dcA^oted exclusively to the aid of the colleges Avhicli had been estab- 
lished as centers of education in agriculture in the various districts, 



68 

iiiid the eoiintics wciv left to carry on their work from the proceeds 
of the excise fund. 

For a time the coiiiity councils appropriated the entire excise fund 
to local purposes, but later they also assisted the agricultural colleges 
of their respective districts and aided as well a considerable number 
of secondary agricultural schools. In 1899-1000, the latest classified 
date given in the reports of the board of agriculture and fisheries, the 
assistance given to the agricultural colleges and schools in England 
and Wales by the county councils amounted to £25,G16, and £8,256 
additional was devoted to meeting the expenses of scholarships of stu- 
dents sent to agricultural colleges by the respective counties. 

In that year the county councils of England and Wales contributed 
to the maintenance of 23 local secondary schools in which agriculture 
was taught, and to 37 collegiate centers. Ten of these collegiate cen- 
ters had been established by Cambridge University, 5 by Reading 
College, 3 by Durham College, 4 by Nottingham University, 2- by 
Southeastern Agricultural College, 3 by Yorkshire College, 5 by the 
University of North Wales, and 5 by the University College of AA'^ales. 

It will thus be seen that the Avork of agricultural education in Great 
Britain is divided, part being intrusted to the colleges and schools of 
agriculture supported from the general grant by Parliament distrib- 
uted by the board of agriculture and part placed under the control of 
county councils, wdio meet the expenses of their maintenance from the 
local tax or excise fund. 

The county councils at first constructed courses of study in agricul- 
ture for these local schools independent of outside aid. Now, how- 
ever, they are cooperating with the board of agriculture and are 
availing themselves of the assistance of the board in its advisory 
capacity respecting their educational purposes. The secretar}^ of the 
board in his report for 1901, in discussing the cause that led to this 
cooperation, says : 

It is satisfactory to 1)0 al)le to report that county councils are evincing an 
increasing desire to avail themselves of the assistance of tlie board in its 
advisory cai)acity in the development of their educational schemes so far as 
these bear ui)on agriculture and rural science. The advice and guidance which 
the board have been thus able to give have resulted not only in the fuller 
utilization of existing machinery, but as well in the avoidance of duplication 
of local agencies. Without such central coordinating influence there is a tend- 
ency on the part of the local authorities to proceed without due regard to 
developments outside their own area, whereas joint action may often result in 
improved efficiency concurrently with greater economy. 

• When the traveling schools were introduced the policy was adopted 
of concentrating the instruction upon one subject. Dairying was 
accordingly selected, and all the strength of the teaching force was 
concentrated in that direction. Gradually the j)olicy was widened to 



69 

include boo koopino-, farriery, poultry keepino;, horticulture, garden- 
ino-, and other branches of agriculture. 

The details of the various methods pursued and scope of the work 
now l)eino- done by the county councils in promoting agricultural edu- 
cation can best be understood from the reports of the several in- 
sj^ectors of the board of agriculture, whose duty it is to visit the 
counties periodically and inspect their work. Reports from several of 
the counties are presented for purposes of comparison. 

The folloAving statement is by the inspector for the county of Bed- 
ford for 1899-1900 : " 

County of Bedford. 

The county provides a farui sfliool at Ridgmoiit, near Woburn, for sons of 
small farmers and laborers, to whom instruction is given in agriculture, market 
gardening, bee keeping, and poultry keeping; a grant is also given to the agri- 
cultural department, Cambridge University. There is acconunodation at the 
school for 20 students, all of whom must have been actually engaged on the land 
and nmst hold county scholarships which entitle them to two years' board and 
residence with instruction free. In 1S99-1900 there were 14 resident scholars 
and 2 ex-scholars were retained to assist in the work of the farm. 

Lectures are given throughout the county in horticulture and poultry keejiing. 
while demonstrations and competitions are organized in various manual i)roc- 
esses. Classes in general agriculture are also held in tlie vill.-igc^s. 

Particulars of the work done in these subjects in 1S<V.)-1;h»(» are furnished 
below : 

At/rieiiUiirc. — Classes wei-e lield at 2(\ centers during the winter, and 568 
pupils received instruction, of whom 427 were farm lads, the teachers being 
drawn from the elementary schools. 

Hurticidture. — Practical gardening classes by the county staff instructor were 
held at 2 centers; lectures were given at 9 centers and at a refoi-matory school. 

PoiiJtri/ l-cei>iii(/. — Courses of lectures were given at .") centers by the master 
of the farm school. 

iMdiiiHil processci^. — Demonstrations and competitions wer(> held in shee])- 
shearing. horseshoeing, i»lowing, hedging and ditching, and stacking and 
thatching. 

.S'c7(o?«;-s7( (■/)«. — Seven agricultural scholarships, tenable at the Kidgmont Farm 
School, were awarded in 1899-19(10. In addition, 10 scholarslii])s were awarded 
to enable teachers to attend the three weeks' summer course at Cambridge. 

County of Berkshire. 

The cAiuity works in conjunction with the Reading College, to which it makes 
an annual grant of £2(»0, together with an additional grant of £.")0 for field 
experiments. 

Local classes were held in 1900 at a number of centers, in ]»onltry keejiing 
and horticulture. Particulars of these classes are given below. 



« It is proper to explain that the data presented in this statement of the edu- 
cational system of Great Britain, as well as those respecting the systems in use 
in other countries, have been selected from such reports as seem to most satis- 
faotorily exhibit the methods in use, although in some instances not the latest 
publications upon the subject. 



70 

Horticulture. — Courses of six lectures each on this subject were given. The 
hist lecture of the series is usually on some such subject as " Soils and manures," 
and given by one of the staff of Reading College. 

At one center a long course of 15 lectures was given, for which 1*5 pupils, 
gardeners, and allotment holders entered, 8 of whom afterwards sat for the 
Royal Horticultural Society's examination and received certificates. At one 
other center only 2 lectures were given. 

Poultry kecphuj. — Ten courses of 4 lectures each, with an average attendance 
of 29, were held in different parts of the county, and G classes for practical 
instruction in poultry trussing were also held. 

Bee keepiufj. — The technical education committee makes an annual grant of 
£50 to the Berks Beekeepers' Association. The county has been twice covered 
by the bee-van tours, and in 1900 the work was confined to a general tour of 
the county by experts, who gave practical advice when it was needed and 
collected statistics as to the progress made in bee keeping. 

Manual processes of ayriculture. — No provision has hitherto been made for 
this class of instruction in the county, but the technical education committee 
are prepared to give careful consideration to any application from a district for 
instruction of this character. 

Scholarships. — Four agricultural and horticultural senior scholarships of £50 
each, four agricultural exhibitions of £35 each, and ten dairy scholarships of £10 
each were offered in 1899-1900. The agricultural scholarships are tenable at 
Reading College, the dairy scholarships ai-e tenable at the British Dairy Insti- 
tute, and those on horticulture are tenable at the horticultural college, Swanely. 
There were no candidates for the agricultural scholarships and exhibitions. 
One horticultural scholarship and seven dairy scholarships were awarded. 

The agricultural exhibitions of £35 each were tenable at the Dauntsey Agri- 
cultural School, West Lavington, but it is in contemplation to replace these by 
four agricultural exhibitions of £30 each, tenable at Reading College for a six 
months' winter course. They will be open to candidates between the ages of 
16 and 25, and are intended for those already familiar with the general routine 
of farm work who aim at becoming practical farmers. 

Since 1893 IG senior scholarships in agriculture and 4 in horticulture have 
been awarded. 

Experiments. — Manurial and other experiments were carried out at eight 
centers. 

County of Cheshire. 

There are in this county two principal centers maintained by the county 
council, viz, the Agricultural and Horticultural ScIkioI at Holmes Chapel and 
the Dairy Institute at Worleston. , 

The Holmes Chapel School was opened in 1895. It provides a complete agri- 
cultural course lasting three years, a diploma or certificate being granted to 
successful students at the end of the course. The number of county council 
scholarships, which cover board and fees, held at this school in 1899-1900 was 
29, and the total number of pupils in April, 1900, amounted to 45. Various 
experiments are carried out on the farm attached to the school, and nearly the 
whole area of the farm, which amounts to 100 acres, is now under experiments. 
The experimental work in 1899-1900 included the cultivation of potatoes,, grain 
crops, roots, grasses, etc. ; the spraying of charlock, and experiments in tuber- 
culosis with the cattle at the Holmes Chapel and Worleston schools. For 
instruction in horticulture a gai'den of 7 acres, with greenhouses, is provided. 

The Dairy Institute at Worleston was taken over by the county council in 
1891. To it is attached a grass farm of 170 acres, maintaining a milking herd 



71 

of nearly 60 cows. Resident accommodation is provided for 18 pupils. There 
were 57 pupils during the years 1S99-1900, the average length of their stay 
being twelve and one-half weeks. Scholarships tenable at this school are 
granted by the technical instruction committee, usually for ten weeks, hut this 
period will in future be extended to twelve weeks. The total of such scholar- 
ships (10s. a week) held in 1800 amounted to 30. There were also 18 domestic 
scholarships (£4 10s. each), which include instruction in butter making, held at 
ihe institute in 1899-1900. 

Lectures are given in tlu^ county on general agriculture, dairying, horticul- 
ture, veterinary science, and bee keeping. Particulars of tiiese for 1899-1900 
are as follows : 

Agriculture. — Two lecturers were employed by the technical instruction com- 
mittee to give 10 lectures a week each. Classes in tlie jtrinciples of agriculture 
were held in secondary schools (average number in class l."0 and similar in- 
struction was also given in a few good elementary schools, where there was a 
sufficient number of boys of a suitable standard ; 5 such schools were visited, 
the class averaging 38. Evening courses of 6 lectures were given at 13 centers 
(average attendance 23) and of 1 lecture at (! centers (average attendance 34), 
and there were also special courses of two to three months or more at 3 centers. 

Dairi/iiKj. — This form of instruction is given at farmhouses where possible. 
Classes for both dairying and butter making lasting four days each were held 
at 7 centers, the average attendance of pupils being 9 ; classes for butter 
making only, lasting eight days, were held at 13 centers, the average attend- 
ance being 13. A butter-making competition, at which students who made 5 or 
more attendances were eligible to compete, was held in April. A dairy demon- 
stration was also held at the Cheshire Agricultural Society's show at Northwich 
in August. 

Horticulture. — Courses, usually of three lectures, were held at 8 centers (the 
average attendance was 44), and a special lecture on fruit growing was given to 
the members of the Nantwich Farmers' Club. 

Veterinary science. — Courses of 3 lectures were given at H centers ; the aver- 
age attendance was 30. 

Bee keepimj. — Lectures were given at 8 centers. 

tScholarsliips. — In 1899-1900 there were 29 agricultural and horticultural 
scholarships held at the Holmes Chapel School. These scholarships, wliich 
cover the expenses of board and fees, are granted for one year, but are renew- 
able for a second and third year if the reports as to progress and conduct are 
satisfactory. At the Worleston Dairy Institute 30 dairy scholarships and IS 
domestic scholarships were held. The former are for a ten weeks" course in 
dairy work, while the latter ;ire for a nine weeks' coui-se in butter making, 
bread baking, cookery, laundry work, dressmaking, needlework, and sick 
nursing. 

Experiments. — Experiments were carried out under the direction of the staff 
of Holmes Chapel Agricultural School in the manuring of mangolds and swedes, 
in the cultivation of different varieties of grain and potatoes, in charlock spray- 
ing, and in seeding for grass. Separate reports, in pamphlet form, of the 
frst four were prepared and circulated. Invitations were issued to agricul- 
tural bodies in the county to inspect the experimental plats at the farm, which 
weve freely accepted. Lectures in connection with the experiments were given 
at (> centers. 

County or Cumberland, 

Direct agricultural instruction is provided by the maintenance, in conjunction 
witi Westnun-eland, of a dairy farm and school at Newton Kigg, near Penrith, by 
a tiaveling tlairy school and by migratory lecturers on various subjects. The 



72 

Newton Riggs Sfliool provides systematic and prnctifal instruction in cheese and 
butter makiny, rearing of live stoclc, rearing and dressing of jMinltry, and gen- 
eral farm work. A cheese dairy has been recently added. Tlicrc is accommoda- 
tion for 10 resident pupils at a time. The course for male pupils lasts sixteen 
week.s and that for females foi- half this jieriod. 

The county scheme provides for two county agricultural scholarshii>s of £50, 
tenable for two or three years, at the agricultural college. Aspatria, or any 
college in receipt of aid from the board of agriculture; one exhibition of £85 
from the Newton Kigg School to a special course for farmers' sons at the Dur- 
ham College of Science, and also for 20 farm studentships, of the value of £4 and 
£5 each, tenable for periods of from eight to sixteen weeks at the county 
daii-y farm and school. 

Field experiments are conducted by arrangement with the Durham College of 
Science under the direction of the professor of agriculture at that college. 

The work performed during lS00-l!»(tO' was as follows: 

At/riculttire. — Lectures were given at lO centers before an average audience of 
25. Each lecture dealt with some particular subject. l>ut calf reai'iiig and 
turnii) growing were most fre(iuently selected. 

Dairybuj. — Owing to a vacancy in the post of teacher, the traveling daiiy van 
did not go out in the spring and summer, but an autunui course was held, when 
5 centers were visited, with an attendance of (50 pupils. 

HorticHlturc. — Lectures are delivered on this subject in every alternate month 
by the lecturer in horticulture at the Durham College of Science in virtue of 
an arrangemer;t between the county councils of Cuml)erlaud and Xorthumberland 
with the authorities of the college; 75 centers were visited, and the attendance 
averaged 2(5, more hearers being gen(>raily attracted in the spring and snunner 
than in the winter. 

Pmtltnj kecpiii!/. — One, two, or three lectures on jyoultry rearing and manage- 
ment were given at 20 centers, the attendance being :V.', on the average. 

Scholarships. — No major agricultural scholarships were awarded during the 
year, but nine studentshii)s of £5 each, one of £4 l(»s., six of £4, and one of £.3 
were awarded at the Newton Kigg Farm School. 

E.vperU)ients. — The field experiments were continued on much the same lines 
as before and have Iieen noticed in connection with the work done by the Dur- 
ham College of Science. 

County of Essex. 

The technical education committee have established county technical labora- 
tories at Chelmsford. In connection with these "schools" of horticulture and 
agriculture have been organized. Two courses in agriculture, each of three 
weeks' diu'ation, are held in the autumn and winter at the laboratories, while 
there are three weeks' elementary courses in horticulture in the sunnner, 
autumn, and winter, as well as a more advanced course of four weeks in the 
spring. A garden has been acquired and is divided into four main divisions, 
viz, botanical, vegetable, fruit growing, and experimental. 

Arrangements have also been made for the analysis, at the county laborato- 
ries, of fertilizers, feeding stutTs, soils, milk, butter, water, etc., and for the 
examination of seeds and diseases of plants, etc.. for Essex farmers at moderate 
fees. 

Ten days' courses of practical lessons in l)utter and soft cheese making are 
provided by a traveling dairy school, wliidi visits various centers. These/ 
classes are limited in each case to 10 jiupils. Imt visitors are admitted as spec- 
tators. Lectures are also given on the Iiacterial contaminations and on the 



73 

chemistry of milk, and instruction is also provided in dressing and trussing 
poultry. 

Field experiments are carried out at various centers throughout the county. 

Arrangements are made for supplying farriery instruction at suitable centers. 

Agricultural, horticultural, dairying, and poultry sch()larshi])s, tenable at 
various institutions, are awarded by the technical education connnittee. The 
county also contributes to the maintenance of the agricultural department of 
Cambridge University by means of an annual grant. 

Particulars of the work carried out in 1809-1900 are ag follows : 

Central laboratories. — The two agricultural courses at the county laborato- 
ries, Chelmsford, were attended by 10 and 9 pupils, respectively ; the three 
elementai-y horticultural courses were attended by an average of 11 pupils, and 
the advanced course of four weeks attracted 10 students. 

Agriculture. — Courses of from 4 to 8 lectures were given on chemistry as 
applied to agriculture at 11 centers (average attendance, 2(») and of 5 lectures 
on agricultural biology at o centers (average attendance, IH). 

Dairying. — The traveling dairy school visited 9 centers; the number of 
pupils was 102, of whom 82 took the full course of nine days. Lectures on 
dairy bacteriology and the chemistry of milk were given at each class. 

Horticulture. — Courses of 1 to G, and in one case lo. lectures were given on 
horticulture at 41 centers (average attendance, IS). 

Poultry rearing. — Lectures, usually 4 each, were given at 14 centers ; the 
average attendance was 27. 

Manual processes. — Instruction was given at 12 centers in plowing, sheep- 
shearing, hay binding, and farriery, a second class being held at one of them. 
The number of lessons varied from 5 to 12; the total number of students 
was 172. 

Visit to Holland. — An excursion to Holland was organized by the technical 
education committee for Essex farmers with the object of studying agricultural 
education and the organization and practice of the agricultin-al industry in that 
country. 

Local committees. — In addition to the above, classes and lectures were organ- 
ized by local comnuttees throughout the county, consisting of fi on bee keeping, 
wMth 160 students; (J on farriery, with 111 students, and .3 on live stock, with 52 
students. 

Scholarships. — Two horticultural scholarships of £45 each, tenable for two 
years at the Swanley Horticultural College or the Royal Horticultural So- 
ciety's gardens, at Chiswick, were awarded in 1899-1900. Four dairy scholar- 
ships, tenable for five weeks at the P.ritish Dairy Institute, Reading, and five 
poultry scholarshi[)s for the three weeks' course at the Eastern Counties Dairy 
Institute, Ipswich, were also awarded. 

Experiments. — Experiments were made on the treatment of rotation crops and 
permanent pasture, the residual value of manures, the prevention of clover sick- 
ness, etc., at 21 centers. Explanatory lectures were given, and an exhibition of 
specimens of the experimental crops was arranged af the agricultural show. 

County of Kent. 

The principal center for agricultural instruction in the county is the South- 
eastern Agricultural College, Wye, which is supported by the county in con- 
junction with Surrey. During the year 1899-1900 20 students from Kent 
attended the college, and, with one exception, were present throughout that 
period. In addition, the college undertakes to deliver a certain number of out- 



74 

side lectures in the county during the session and to provide Instruction in 
farriery by means of a traveling van fully equipped with forges, tools, etc. 

The county also makes use of the horticultural college at Swanley, offering 
each year 12 horticultural scholarships of £60 each, tenable at this institution 
for two years. Four were awarded in 1899-1900. Six students from Kent 
passed the Royal Horticultural Society's examination, and numerous successes 
were gained by the county scholars in the board of education's examinations in 
agriculture, botany, chemistry, and geology. 

The remainder of the work done in the county is i)erformed by the council 
directly. 

Pai-ticulars of the lectures provided and work done in 1899-1900 are furnished 
below. 

HorticuUure. — Courses of six lectures were given at 60 centers. At 55 of 
these centers competitions were held, limited to scholars who had attended at 
least 4 out of the 6 lectures, and prizes were awarded to the successful candi- 
dates. Boys' gardens are maintained at 20 centers. The gardens are divided 
into plats of about 1 square rod each, and they are cultivated by boys admitted 
as pupils, each boy having a separate plat. The number of boys admitted at each 
center is 15. The plats are under the supervision of a local instructor specially 
appointed by the committee, the county superintendent making an inspection 
three times annually, when prizes are awarded to the most meritorious 
cultivators. 

Thirty lectures on garden science were delivered at 10 centers in the county 
by lecturers from the Southeastern Agricultural College. 

PouUrij Iceplug. — Courses of 4 lectures were provided at 25 centers. Prizes 
were offered for competition among the students, and the first aimual compe- 
tition was held at a county show. 

Bee keeping. — In this subject a pioneer lecture is given in February at each 
center which it is intended to visit, and is followed in the summer by demonstra- 
tions in practical management by means of an experimental apiary set up at 
some point in the parish, ^'isits were made to 12 centers during the season, the 
classes averaging 10 pupils. The instruction was succeeded by apiary compe- 
titions in five cases, the average number of entries being 7. 

Farriery. — Classes were held at 2 centers, and 51 pupils received instruction. 
An annual competition was also held in connection with a local agricultural 
show. 

Scholar.shii).'^. — Four £60 horticultural scholarships tenable at the Horticultural 
College, Swanley, and two scholarships of the value of £60 each and two of the 
value of £30 each, tenable at the South Eastern Agricultural College for two 
years, were awarded in 1899-1900. 

ExperiruentH in the manurial treatment of hops were carried on at four sta- 
tions under the superintendence of the South Eastern Agricultural College, full 
accounts of which were given in the college journal. An experiment was also 
conducted by the county superintendent of horticulture in the preservation of 
fruit by means of cold storage. A report on the same was published in the 
thirty-third quarterly report of the technical education committee. 

The work of the county councils, as exhibited in the foregoing re- 
ports, has been conducted since 1890 with continually increasing inter- 
est and profit. The movable school, it will be observed, is the 
distinguishing feature of their educational methods for agricultural 
improvement, and its popularity and value are due to the systematic 
and efficient way in which these schools are conducted. Instead of 



75 

numerous meetings of only two or three sessions each, fewer are held, 
but these are continued tor at least ten to fifteen daj^s. Instead of 
jDresenting many subjects for consideration, but one or at the most 
two are discussed, and these are treated in a carefully planned course 
of lectures, accomj^anied with practical demonstrations. Instead of 
large and motley assemblages of people being addressed, a feAver 
number are taught, and these are instructed in regular classes that 
meet day after day throughout the entire course.- 

The traveling schools ai"e thoroughly equipped. They are provided 
with the newest and best apparatus in order that the scholars may' 
have the advantage of seeing and using the latest and best machinery 
and most approved methods in use in the special line of work treated. 

An examination of the reports also shows that the organization of 
the work providing for peripatetic instruction for farmers has been 
planned most carefully not only with respect to its present efficiency, 
but with the view also to its permanency and future development. 
The matter of continual and adequate support has been amply pro- 
vided for. The county, out of its revenues from the excise fund, 
meets the largest part of the expense ; at the same time each locality 
and individual directly benefited is required to l)ear a proper share 
of the cost. 

The general policy controlling and directing the work has a like 
degree of permanency that contributes to the strength of the work. 
No change of national administration or depressit)n in business or 
temporary political or social upheaval among the people can suddenly 
overthrow it. At the same time there is a degree of flexibility per- 
mitted in carrying out the scheme that permits of such gradual 
change and improvement as experience may show to be necessary. 

College Work in Agriculture. 

As has been stated, the funds provided under the original grant for 
agricultural education made by Parliament in 1888 were widely dis- 
tributed. They were used to aid not simply the colleges and higher 
institutions of learning, but were likewise given for the support of 
the local schools established by the county councils. Later, when the 
counties became the recipients of aid from the excise fund, the parlia- 
mentary grant was withdrawn and given to the institutions which 
had been chosen by the board of agriculture in the several produce 
districts as centers for agricultural education. 

In 1903^ there were sixteen of these institutions receiving aid 
from the grant of the General Government. The University College 
of North Wales, at Bangor; Yorkshire College, at Leeds; Durham 
College of Science, at Newcastle-on-Tyne ; Cambridge University, at 
Cambridge ; South Eastern Agricultural College, at Wye ; University 



76 

College of Wales, at Aberystwyth; University College, at Reading; 
Midland Agricultural and Dairy Institute; TIar]X'r Adams Agricul- 
tural College; British Dairy Institute, Heading; Agricultural and 
Horticultural School, ^olms Chapel; Agricultural and Horlic-ultural 
College, Wickfield; Harris Institution, Preston; Eastern Counties 
Dairy Institute, at Ipswich; National Fruit and Cider Institute; 
and Cumberland and Westmoreland Farm School. 

Each of these is a center and acts for (me or more counties. The 
University College of North Wales, at Bangor, is a center for the 
counties of Anglesey, Carnovan, Flint, Denbigh, and j^art of Mont- 
gomery. The Durham College of Science is a center for the comities 
of Northumberland, Durham, and Cumberland, and the other institu- 
tions act as centers for similar groups. 

These institutions, besides giving instruction in agriculture in their 
regular courses indoors, leading to apjjropi'iate academic degrees, 
engage likewise in " external " instruction work out in the counties 
that compose their respective districts. This work consists of courses 
of lectures and demonstrations before classes in various localities or 
centers made up of farmers or farmers' boys. 

The parliamentai-y grant was declared to be in " aid of agricultural 
and dairy schools and for agricultural experiments.'' It is therefore 
applicable to all forms of agricultural instruction, such as the train- 
ing of teachers and local lecturers, the equi]:»ment of dairy schools, 
the conducting of experiment farms, and fields of demonstration. 

The general educational scheme of such a collegiate institution is 
outlined in one of the reports of the secretary of the board of agri- 
culture as follows: 

I. The training of agricnltural teachers. 

II. The imparting of direct education in the sciences bearing on agriculture 
to resident pupils. 

III. The diffusion of general knowledge and a promotion of a spirit of imjuiry 
among those already engaged in agricultural work by means of peripatetic 
lectures and evening classes. 

IV. The technical training of pupils or of actual workers in special forms of 
agricultural industry, such as dairy work, forestry, fruit growing, etc. 

v. The cojiducting of exi)eriment work, affording in different centers means of 
illustrating the l)earing of scientific research on exemplary agricultural ])ractice. 

The special purpose of the Government in organizing these '" colle- 
giate centers " is outlined in a report of the board of agriculture for 
1895. The report states that— 

The collegiate centers are intended to provide efficient and regularly organized 
indoor training for a certain more or less necessarily limited number of students 
pursuing a continuous course of study for two or more consecutive years. They 
also offer a variety of other and more temporary courses of instruction. 

The educational staff and machinery of the center is also made available for the 
work of the surrounding county authorities and in part for the ccaiduct of 



77 

itinerant or local elasxcs iuul for tlii' direction of field demonstration or feeding 
experiments. 

The University College of North Wales, at Bangor, was the first to 
originate such a typical school and to supply a " complete and very 
extensive system of agricultural instruction for a group of counties." 
The plan has nOw been adopted by all of the ten institutions receiving 
aid from the parliameutary grant. 

External VroRK of the Colle(!es. 

The external work varies somewhat in its details among these 
institutions, but conforms nevertheless to one general plan. The 
plau consists in the estal)lishing and maintaining, iu whole or in part, 
of secondary schools at which instruction in agriculture is given by 
professors from the central college; in the conducting of traveling 
schools of agriculture that meet classes of pupils at numerous centers 
throughout the district over which the influence of the college 
extends ; in arranging and maintaining in the several counties experi- 
ment farms and demonstration fields and farms where agricultiiral 
operations of the latest and most approved character are conducted. 

The methods employed in organizing and conducting the traveling 
schools are sul)stantially those in use by the county councils. The 
classes are organized in ditl'erent centers and are given instruction 
in but one subject. The series of lectures and demonstrations upon 
that subject constitute a course which usually re(|uires about ten days 
to complete. 

By this method of devoting all of the time to a single topic expe- 
rience has shown that better residts are secured than where the course 
consists of lectures upon several subjects. By concentrating upon 
one topic reasonably thorough instruction can be given in that 
branch, whereas by the other method of treating several subjects a 
vague and unsatisfactory impression is too frequently the only 
result. 

Inasmuch as the colleges receiving aid from the (xovernment grant 
for agrictiltural instruction are the agents of the board of agriculture 
in its work of aiding the farming people by means of traveling 
schools, no statement of the system of peripatetic instruction in Great 
Britain is complete that fails to show what these institutions are 
doing outside of their stated indoor work at the collegiate centers. 
And since the methods used by the several institutions iu conducting 
their movable schools differ quite materially from each other, it has 
been deemed advisable to present somewhat in detail the work of 
those whose systems differ most widely. 

The folloAving extracts from the rejjorts of the inspectors appointed 
by the board of agriculture to visit the collegiate centers for the year 



78 

which ended March 31, 1901, have been selected as showing what is 
being done and the methods which each collegiate center referred to 
has adopted in carrying on its " outside '' work : 

University College of North Wales, 
external work. 

DairyiiKj. — At the dairy school at Lleweni Hall, near Denbigh, instruction was 
given, as in previous years, in cheese making, butter making, and in dairying 
generally. The total i)ui»ils were in excess of former years, having numbered 
101, of whom 74 came for periods of six weeks. A considerable number of these, 
viz, 36, came with comity scholarships from Flint, Denbigh, and Anglesey, half 
of them under the regular schemes whereby those who have shown themselves 
proficient at the traveling classes during the year are awarded scholarships to 
the fixed school, and half under a special scheme in the counties of Flint and 
Denbigh to encourage persons to avail themselves of the lengthened courses in 
cheese and butter making held at the school. 

At the Bangor dairy school, opened as usual at the college, 14 pupils attended 
a special fortnight's course in butter making, all having been awarded scholar- 
ships for this puri)ose by the councils for Anglesey and Carnarvonshire, after 
they had shown aptitude as pupils at the traveling schools held in those two 
counties. 

Examinations were held twice during the year at the Denbigh school and once 
at the Bangor school. The awards at these examinations were — 

Advanced certificates in dairy work 5 

Ordinary certificates in cheese making 14 

Ordinary certificates in butter making 41 

Traveling schools for butter making instruction were held as follows : 

In Anglesey there were courses of ten days' instruction given at 2 centers. 
The pupils numbered 23, and of these 18 took the full course. 

In Carnarvonshire instruction was given at 3 centers, a second course being 
held at one of them. Forty-two pupils attended, of whom 34 took a full course. 

In Flintshire courses of ten days' instruction were held at 3 centers. At 
2 of these the instruction was on cheese making, and at the other on butter 
making. The courses were attended by 19 persons, all of whom remained for 
the full period of instruction. 

In Denbighshire similar courses were held at 3 centers, those at 2 centers 
being on butter making, and at the remaining center on cheese making. The 
total jnipils w^ho attended numbered 30, of whom all but two took the full 
course. 

Field cJevwnstrations. — In Anglesey, irrespective of the college farm, experi- 
ments were conducted at 5 centers. At 3 of these the experiments were of a 
manurial character, the crops being swedes or pasture; at the remaining 2 
centers the experiments had reference to the suitability of different seed mix- 
tures in laying land down to grass. 

In Carnarvonshire experiments on the manuring of swedes and pasture took 
place at 5 centers, while the interesting series of experiments on the improve- 
ment of rough hill pasture, referred to in previous reports, was continued at 5 
centers. Charlock spraying experiments took place at 3 centers. 

In Flintshire experiments were conducted at 4 centers, all on grass land, one 
set being on the hill pasture just mentioned, while in Denbighshire pasture 
experiments were in progress at 2 centers. 



79 

In Montgouierysliiro tlicri' wns nii experiment on liill i);isture at 1 center. 

Lectures. — In Anglesey courses varying from 2 to S lectures each were 
delivered at 7 centers on one or other of the various subjects offered by the 
college. The lectures were attended by an average of ;!4. 

In Carnarvonshire courses of from 2 to 5 lectures were given at (J centers, 
but a second course was given at 1 of these, and no less than 4 courses 
(making in all 22 lectures) at another center. The average attendance was 34. 

In Denbighshire courses were given at (J centers, the average attendance 
being 47, while in Flintshire a course of 5 lectures on farm crops and their 
cultivation was given in an intermediate school to a class of 12 boys. 

In Montgomeryshire the centers where lectures were given numbered 8, and 
those who attended them averaged 40 at each center. 

Yorkshire Coli^ege, Leeds, 
external work. 

DairijiiH/. — The traveling Initter school was only at work in the West Riding, 
where 10 centers were \isited, at 1 of which a second course was held. A 
total of 92 pupils came under instruction, of whom (>0 took the full course of 
ten days. 

Field deiuoiihilriitions. — As mentioned in last year's report, these are all 
arranged so as to have some connection with those conducted under the most 
careful supervision at the county farm. The number of centers in the East 
and \Yest Ridings at which they were conducted amounted last year to 24, com- 
prising 44 experiments with cereals, roots, and grass. In every instance a 
lecture was given at the center, explaining the results. 

Lectures. — In the East Riding courses of lectures on general agricultural 
subjects were given at 7 centers, and single lectures on the results of experi- 
ments at 12 centers. Courses on horticulture were given at 8 centers, and on 
poultry keeping at 2 centers. The average attendjince at all these lectures 
was 38. 

In the West Riding the centers where courses on agricultural subjects were 
delivered numbered 10, and where single lectures were given numbered 18, of 
which 5 were places where courses had also been given, the lecture in this 
case, as in most others, dealing only with the results of the field experiments. 
Horticultural instruction was given at 19 centers, the courses at 17 of these 
being of 5 lectures, while a second course, similar in length, was given at 1 
of them. Lectures on poultry keeping, consisting in most instances of a course 
of five lectures, were delivered at 11 centers. The average attendance per 
center was 39, and on this basis the total number attending these lectures must 
have been over 2,300 persons. 

In the North Riding courses in agricultural subjects were given at 14 centers, 
and a second course at 2 of them, 6 of the courses consisting of lectures 
and the remainder of 5 lectures. Those on horticulture, all of which were 5 
in number, were given at 21 centers, and those on poultry keeping of similar 
length, at 12 centers. The average attendance at each center was 36. 

It is now nearly ten years since lecture work at local centers was undertaken 
in Yorkshire by this college, and it was thought a few years ago that the interest 
they called forth would gradually cease. The contrary seems to be the case, 
and the lecturers report that not only are the best centers those where lectures 
have been held before, but that amongst farmers generally in the county there 
is now an altogether higher scale of intelligence from a scientific point of view, 
and matters can now be profitably discussed amongst them which it would have 
been impossible to treat upon six or eight years ago. 



80 

It must he noted that in the East and West Ridings the work of horticulture 
is not confined to lectures. Gardens are started in a variety of places, as 
mentioned in last year's report, for the young, by means of " school " gardens 
in connection with the evening continuation schools, and for those who are 
older by means of what are termed " education " gardens. In each case, how- 
ever, the gardens are under the general supervision of the horticultural staff 
at the college, and thoroughly useful work seems to be performed. 

Cambkidge Univeksity. 
external work. 

Field (Icmonstrations. — These, which have consisted of experiments on a 
variety of crops, have been conducted in conjunction with the various county 
councils, as follows : 

In Cambridgeshire, at 7 centers, 2 of the experiments being on a rotation 
of crops. The manurial treatment of fruit trees formed the subject of experi- 
ment at 3 centers. 

In Hertfordshire experiments were carried out at 2 centers. At one of these 
the experiment was on the hay crop ; at the other 3, separate rotation experi- 
ments were londucted. 

In Huntingdonshire an experiment was conducted at 1 center on the hay 
crop, and at another, of 8 acres, on various mixtures for laying down to grass. 

In the Isle of Ely experiments on the potato crop were carried out at 2 
centers. 

In Norfolk experiments were conducted at 2 centers on laying down land to 
grass, while at one of them a second trial was made on the growth of sugar 
beet. 

In Northamiitonshire an experiment was carried out at 1 center on manur- 
ing for the hay crop. 

In East Suffolk the county station at Braniford, together with a fresh one in 
a different part of the county, came under the supervision of the agricultural 
department of Cambridge. An experiment on a rotation of crops was also 
conunenced by the department at the Colonial College, Ilolllesley Bay. 

In West Suffolk, at 2 centers, a rotation experiment was carried o?i. 

In addition to these, experiments on the influence of manures on the produc- 
tion of mutton were commenced at 4 centers. In Northam])tonsl)ire, on an 
area of over 30 acres, the trial was conducted on behalf of the board of agri- 
culture on precisely the same lines as the original experiment in Northumber- 
land. In Cambridgeshire, on an area of IG acres ; in Essex, of 18 acres ; and 
in Norfolk, of 20 acres, an experiment was commenced which was a modifica- 
tion of the original one. During the past year on all these stations the grazing 
tests were of a preliminary character, without the application of manures. In 
Norfolk a further exi>eriment was commenced in the growth of 10 acres of 
swedes for a bullock-feeding experiment. 

Addresses in connection with the various experiments were delivered before 
several chambers of agriculture. 

Midland Agricultural and Dairy Institute, Kingston. 

external work. 

Dfiinjiiif/- — A traveling butter school has visited 8 centers in Derbyshire and 
3 in Nottinghamshire. The numbers attending in the former county were 77 
and in the latter 20. In every case the pupils remained for the full ten days' 
course. 



81 

Field dcinoii.stnitloiis. — In Liiiculnsliire tliesi> \v(M-(' coiKhicted at 5 centers, the 
experiments in one instance heiiiy on [Kitatoes aiRl in the others on barley. 

In Nottint^iianishire experiments were conducted at 4 centers, two or three 
sets being carried out at 3 of them. Tlie ci^)ps concerned were potatoes, barley, 
and swedes. In addition there were various charlock spraying demonstrations, 
while the exi)eriment on croi)ping a jioor sandy soil with a view of endeavoring 
to increase its fertility, which was commenced some few years back, is being 
continued. 

In Leicestershire an experiment was conducted at 1 .center to test the influ- 
ence of manures on the mangel crop. 

Lectures. — In Lincolnshire courses of 5 or (> lectures on general agricultural 
or dairy subjects were delivered at 9 centers, the average attendance being 1.5. 
Covirses of lectures on veterinary subjects were given at 2 centers to an aver- 
age audience of 35. Horticultural lectures, numbering 3 or 4 at each place, 
were given during the winter at 10 centers, the average audience being 24, 
while in the previous sununer 2 lectures each were delivered at 5 centers to an 
average audience of 26. 

In Nottinghamshire courses of 3 or 4 lectures on general agricultural subjects 
were given at 3 centers, while single lectures were delivered at 3 other centers, 
the average audience numbering 30. Veterinary lectures were given at 4 cen- 
ters, the course consisting of (! lectures at 2 of the centers and 4 at the others, 
the audience averaging 38. Horticultural lectures or demonstrations were given 
in the summer at 6 centers to an average audience of 24 persons, while courses 
of 3 or 4 lectures in winter were given at 10 centers to an average audience of 
44. Courses of 3 lectures on poultry keeping were given at (5 centers, the audi- 
ence averaging 50. 

In Derbyshire courses of 4 lectures on general agricultural subjects were 
given at 8 centers to an average audience of 18, while courses of 3 lectures on 
poultry keeping were given at 10 centers to an average audience of 47. Lectures 
on horticulture by the county instrucAr, who is now also on the general staff of 
the institute, were given at 1!) centers during the winter, the average audience 
being 44. During the summer demonstrations were given on the two county 
fruit plats and in gardens or allotments at 13 other places. They were attended 
by an average audience of 40 persons. 

In Leicestershire single lectures on dairying were given at 3 centers to average 
audiences of 30. Courses of 4 lectures each on veterinary subjects were 
given at 3 centers to average audiences of 32, while courses of 3 or 4 lectures 
on poultry keeping were given at 4 centers to audiences averaging 41. Horti- 
cultural courses of (with one exception) 4 lectures each were given at 6 centers. 
The average audience was 25. Summer lectures or demonstrations were also 
given at 2 centei's, being attended by an average audience of 27 persons. 

The other collegiate institutions aided by Parliament conduct simi- 
lar operations. The four here given are, however, typical of the 
practice of all. 

It is manifest that these colleges regard the external work that 
they have undertaken in aid of agriculture as most important, for in 
endeavoring to fulfill their mission, which is to octupy the entire field 
of agricultural instruction, they have had the courage to break away 
from the traditional practice of colleges of learning in the past that 
30372— No. 155—05 u 6 



82 

confined their teaching to the Avails of the class rooms of the institu- 
tions themselves, and have extended their aid to men and women 
iniable to leave their homes and go to school. 

An interesting and important featiu'e of the traveling school of 
instruction is indicated in the courses prescribed by the county coun- 
cils under the designation " manual processes." These are taught 
in courses adapted to each subject and constitute an important Ijranch 
of education. They comprise bee keeping, farriery, veterinary 
science, dairying, fruit culture, market gardening, cider and vinegar 
making, sheep shearing, plowing, stacking, ditching, thatching, care 
of live stock, pruning, milking, etc. The usefulness of knowledge 
and skill in the performance of all of these processes is acknowledged, 
but, as has been stated, it is only recently that the higher agricultural 
institutions of learning have come to realize that part of their duty 
is to see that information respecting these and kindred subjects is 
made accessible to the mass of country people. 

The effect of the new departure in giving instruction in agricul- 
ture in Great Britain is strikingly exhibited by comparing a state- 
metit made in the report of the parliamentary commission appointed 
in 1887 to investigate the condition of agricultural education in Great 
Britain with a corresponding statement by the board of agriculture 
made in 1805. The commission called attention to the fact that a 
Scotch witness stated that certain associations of farmers desiring to 
improve their systems of dairying endeavored to obtain a skilled 
teacher in the art of butter making, and " that they had to send to 
Dennuirk and engage a Dane to come to the district and teach them 
to make butter.*" It Avas also stated that scarcely tAvo years prior to 
1887 " the managers of the Cheshire Dairy School could find no effi- 
cient teacher of butter making in Great Britain, and had to engage 
the serAnces of a skilled dairy maid, Avho had been instructed at the 
Merster Dairy School near Cork." Contrast this Avith the report 
jnade by the secretary of the board of agriculture of Great Britain 
seA^en A-ears later — in 1895. The secretary states that "■' dairying is 
noAV taught in some form or other under the county councils of all of 
the counties of England and Wales, excej^ting London and Middle- 
sex. Similar instruction is noAv giA^n in more than half of the ad- 
ministratiA'e counties of Scotland." 

The change in this brief period in this one industry has been 
Avrought through the ncAv methods of education Avhich Avere begun 
in 1888, AAdiich consist in couA^eying A^aluable, practical instruction 
in agriculture, by means of skilled teachers, to peoi^le at work upon, 
the land without requiring them to leaAe their homes or neglect 
their daily duties in order to receiA^e the information Avhicli is offered. 



83 

Summary. 

The institutions in Great Britain charged with carrying: on the 
work of giving agricultural instruction may be grouped into two 
distinct classes, not including the board of agriculture, which is the 
head of the entire system. 

The first is composed of the agricultural colleges and schools acting 
as centers for groups of counties, and conHning their efforts for the 
most part to the development of education in tlie areas which have 
been assigned to them. Their Avork consists in: 

I. The giving of advanced class-room instruction to resident stu- 
dents. 

II. The establishing of secondary schools of agriculture through- 
out their respective districts, usually confining the work of instruc- 
tion to a single subject. 

III. The equipping of peripatetic schools which visit various 
localities and give instruction to classes for periods of from one week 
to ten or fifteen days, each course being limited to the treatment of 
but one branch of agriculture. 

IV. The establishing and maintaining of experiment and demon- 
stration farms throughout their several districts. 

The second class is made up of the county councils, who are in 
control of technical education work in the several counties. Under 
their direction are established: 

I. Secondary schools of agriculture maintained wholly or in part 
by the county councils out of the excise fund. 

II. Itinerant schools which visit various parts of the several 
counties and give short courses of lectures and demonstrations to 
classes on agricultural subjects. 

III. Demonstration farms for testing the eftects of various fer- 
tilizers, the adaptibility of seeds, the value of various breeds of live 
stock, methods of culture, etc. 

The county councils also: 

I. Establish and maintain scholarships in agriculture in the col- 
legiate centers of their districts, available to young men of merit 
who wish to secure an agricultural education. 

II. They likewise grant premiums for meritorious work in agri- 
culture in their several counties. 

III. They aid their agricultural colleges by nuiking annual appro- 
priations for their support from the excise fund. 

lY. They cooperate with the board of agriculture of Great Britain 
in devising and introducing improvements in agricultural education 
throughout the Kingdom. 

The marked features of the system as a whole are: 
I. That it reaches all classes of farmers in all parts of the country 
with valuable instruction, and does this systematically and every year. 



84 

II. That the universities and colleges have extended their activities 
to the outlying connnunities. They have recognized their duty to the 
fanning people, who are unable to leave their farms to attend classes 
at the collegiate centers, by carrying instruction to them at their 
homes. 

III. That each county is provided with means to carry on its edu- 
cational work independent of support from the general government, 
and that a capable and responsible body in each county is intrusted 
Avith the oversight and control of the work, and Avitli the disposition 
of the public money contributed in its behalf. 

IV. That it is equipped with teachers who are expert authorities 
in some one branch of agriculture. 

V. That it is organized upon a firm and substantial basis, and is 
recognized by both local and national authorities as an important 
part of the general system of public instruction. 

VI. That it is adapted to future improvement and expansion as 
knowledge increases and the requirements of agriculture demand. 

IRELAND. 

The control of the work of providing instruction in agriculture in 
Ireland is under the supervision of a department constituted by act 
of Parliament in 1899. The act provides that '* there shall be estab- 
lished a department of agriculture and other industries and technical 
instruction for Ireland, with the chief secretary as president thereof, 
and a vice-president appointed by and removable at the pleasure of 
one of Her Majesty's principal secretaries of state." 

The department is authorized " to make, or cause to be made, or 
aid in making such inquiries, experiments, and research, and collect 
or aid in collecting such information as they may think important 
for the purposes of agriculture and other rural industries," and with 
the consent of the lord lieutenant and the treasury "to appoint or 
employ a secretary, two assistant secretaries, one in respect of agri- 
culture and one in respect of technical instruction, and such inspec- 
tors, instructors, officers, and servants as the department nuiy require. 

For the purpose of assisting the department in carrying out the 
objects of this act it is provided that " there shall be established (a) 
a council of agriculture; (h) an agricultural board; (c)a board of 
technical instruction." 

The council of agriculture is comi:)Osed of " two persons appointed 
by the county councils of each county (other than a county borough) 
in each province, and a number of persons resident in each province 
equal to the number of counties (exclusive of county boroughs) in 
the province to be appointed by the department." The members 
representing each province "" shall constitute separate committees 



85 

on the council and shall be styled the provincial coinmittees of the 
respecti\'e provinces.'" 

The agriciiJtio'al hoard consists of tAvo persons appointed by the 
provincial committees of each province and four persons appointed 
by the department. 

The hoard of technical instruction consists of (a) "3 persons 
appointed by the county councils of each of the county boroughs of 
Dublin and Belfast; (h) 1 person appointed- 'by a joint committee 
of the councils of the several urban districts in the county of Dublin, 
such committee to consist of 1 member chosen out of the body by the 
council of each such district; (c) 1 person appointed by the council 
of each county borough not above mentioned; (d) 1 person appointed 
by the provincial conunittee of each province; (e) 1 person appointed 
by the commissioners of national education; (/) 1 person appointed 
by the intennediate education board; (^) 4 persons apj^ointed by the 
department." 

The duties of the council and of the several boards are defined by 
the act, as follows: 

I. The council of agriculture shall meet at least once a year, for the purpose 
of discussing matters of ]»ultlic interest in connection with any of the purposes 
of this act. 

II. The agricultural Itoard shall advise with the department witli respect to 
all matters and questions suhmitted to them by the department in connection 
with the purposes of agricnltiu'e and other rural industries. 

III. The board of technical instruction shall advise tlie department with 
i-espect to all matters and questions submitted to them by the department in 
connection with technical instruction. 

The corporate name of the department is " The Department of 
Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland,'' and it is clothed 
with the power to acquire and hold land for the purposes of the act 
and may sue and be sued as in case of other corporate bodies. Par- 
liament by this act places at the disposal of the department funds 
derived from a number of separate sources, and also prescribes the 
method of their apportionment. 

There is also established by this act a committee of 5, known as 
a " consultative committee," for the purj^ose of coordinating educa- 
tional administration. The committee is composed of the vice-presi- 
dent of the department, who is ex officio its chairman ; 1 person 
appointed by the commissioners of national education ; 1 person 
appointed by the intermediate education board; 1 person appointed 
by the agricultural board, and 1 person appointed by the board of 
technical instruction. 

The coimcil of agriculture consists of 104 members, G8 of whom are 
appointed by the county councils and 34 by the department from the 
several provinces, with the president and vice-president of the depart- 



86 

ment as ex officio members. The members of this council hohl office 
for three years. 

The agriaidtiiral hoard as constituted consists of 12 members, 8 ap- 
l^ointed by the provincial committees and 4 by the department of 
agriculture. 

The hoard of technical insh'uction consists of 21 members, who hold 
office for three years, whose duties, as in the case of the agricultural 
boaTd, are advisory. They " advise the department with respect to all 
matters and questions submitted to them by the department in con- 
nection with technical instruction.'' 

The cortKiilfative committee of education is composed of 5 members, 
and their duty is to " coordinate educational administration." The 
importance of the functions of such a connnittee is manifest, for the 
educational work of the department as respects agriculture is inti- 
mately associated with that of primary as well as serondary and 
higher education. The harmonizing of these systems so far as the 
work relates to agricultural industry is therefore the important duty 
assigned to this committee. All work, therefore, relating to agri- 
culture or instruction in agricultural subjects in Ireland is performed 
under the supervision of the department of agriculture and technical 
education. 

The act, nevertheless, provides for local cooperation. County and 
urban district councils are authorized to raise annually a sum not ex- 
ceeding 1 penny per pound on the ratable value of such ratable or 
rural district, and may apply the revenue that is derived for the pur- 
poses of agriculture or " for any other purposes for which they are 
authorized by the act to expend money." 

The six county boroughs are authorized to formulate their own 
schemes of agricultural instruction, and the counties outside of the 
county boroughs are, under the administration of the act, intrusted 
by the deiDartment Avith the local administration of such schemes of 
instruction as they, in consultation with the department, may adopt, 
tke declared purpose being to " strengthen the spirit of economic and 
social self-help among the people " by bringing " the local bodies 
thus into contact with the difficulties of the problems to be dealt with." 

The council in each county has authority, under the agriculture and 
technical instruction act of 1889, to appoint a county committee to 
have charge of the work of technical instruction in agriculture, which 
committee has authority to select the districts at Avhich lectures shall 
be given and to appoint district committees each w4th a local secre- 
tary. This local secretary is charged with the duty of selecting the 
building for meeting and arranging for the hiring, w^arming, and 
lighting of the hall. 

Assistance in local organization is rendered by the department by 
sending representatives to visit and confer with every local authority 



87 

and, after careful inspection and examinations of the local conditions, 
aid by offering them expert advice. The purpose of this dual organ- 
ization is to encourage, on the one hand, local initiative and respon- 
sibility, and on the other, to guard against the indiscriminate multi- 
plication of unrelated local organizations by providing a central 
authority to see that the work is coordinated so as to promote the 
best interests of the country as a whole. 

The method pursued by the department in organizing and conduct- 
ing itinerant schools is given in the following scheme of instruction 
in agriculture: 

(1) The department is jirepared, provided a suitable instructor in agriculture 
can be obtained, to approve of the appointment of at least one such person for 
each county in Ireland. 

(2) The deiMirtment will, as -far as possible, assist the county committee in 
obtaining an instructor, by supplying the names of persons qualified for the post. 

(.3) The remuneration of the instructor shall not, except in special cases, 
exceed £200 per annum, inclusive of maintenance and hotel expenses, in addi- 
tion to expenses of locomotion, which include second-class i-ailway fare, car 
hire when necessary, or a bicycle allowance of 2d. ])er mile in lieu thereof. 

(4) The appointment of the Instructor shall be terminable at any time by 
three months' notice in writing on either side. 

(5) It will be the duty of the instructor to deliver courses of lectures on agri- 
cultiiral subjects, such as soils, manures, seeds, pastures, crops and their cultiva- 
tion, breeding, feeding, and management of live stock ; to visit farms ; to con- 
duct such experiments and demonstrations in spring and sunnner as may be 
approved by the department ; to select suitable land for this purpose ; to super- 
vise the sowing of the seeds and manure and the keeping of the plats free 
from weeds ; to weigh the produce, tabulate the figures, and prepare a report on 
the results ; to reply to letters from farmers seeking information ; to advise 
farmers how they may avail themselves of the deiiartment's live-stock schemes 
and of the department's seed-testing station ; to make known the provisions of 
the fertilizers and feeding stuffs act ; to advise farmers how they can best avail 
themselves of all schemes which may be adopted by the county connnittee and 
by the department, and how they may take advantage of agricultural organ- 
ization ; to report to the department and to the county connnittee regarding the 
progress of his work as may be required ; and, generally, to give his whole time 
to the work and do all in his power to further the interests of agriculture in 
the county. 

(6) For the purposes of this scheme the county should be divided into cir- 
cuits, each comprising not less than 5 centers. The instructor should work for 
at least four weeks in each circuit, and deliver one lecture per week at each 
center during that time. The instructor will, when invited to do so, visit, 
cither on the day of the lecture or on the following day, any of the farms in the 
neighborhood, and give such information on practical subjects as the circum- 
stances of the case may suggest. 

The county committee are alone responsible for the selection of centers and 
iirrangement of lectures. No work of this nature should be undertaken by the 
instructor, though it is desirable that he should be consulted. 

(7) It will be the duty of the county committee to select centers at which the 
lectures will be given and to appoint a local connnittee, with an honorary 
secretary at each center, who should select the school or other building and 



arrango for the hiring, lighting, nnd wnrniing of the room in whifli the lectures 
will he delivered. 

It will nlso he the duty of the county conunittee to luidertake the resi)onsii)ility 
of seeing that the instructor's time is fully and usefully employed. 

The (jpunty conunittee shall keep a separate account of all expenditure 
under this scheme and shall furnish detailed statements of such expenditure 
as may from time to time he required hy the department. 

(8) Lectures should be arranged to he given in schoolrooms in the evenings, 
and should he held in rural centers. Towns and the larger villages should be 
avoided, as experience has shown that the greatest success attends those lectures 
which are given in the rural parts of the county, especially when the lectures 
are delivered in a district where the greatest number of farmers is to be found. 
The local conunittee at each center should be responsible for aiipointing a 
representative chairman i'or each Icctui-e, :is well as for the distribution of the 
short syllabus of the lectiu'es, which will be prep.ared by the lecturer as soon as 
he is ai^pointed. The local committee should undertake to have posters, which 
will be supjilied by the secretary of the county committee, effectively disi)layed 
throughout their district. Each lecture should be followed by a discussion, 
during whicli farmers will he invited to :isk (piestions relative to their business. 

(9) The lectures should commence early in autunm and be continued until 
the end of the hrst week in Mai'ch. 

(10) No action shall be taken by the county committee toward putting this 
scheme, or any ])art thereof, into operation luitil the sanction of the department 
has been obtained in writing. 

It will be observed that while the instructor in any agricultural 
subject is selected by the comntittee of the county in which he is to 
work, the choice of the committee is not final until the de])artnient 
has been satisfied as to the qualifications of the person selected and 
hag sanctioned the appointment in writing. This insures that oidy 
capable teachers will be engaged in instruction work in itinerant 
schools. 

Two classes of instructors are employed by the departraent in its 
technical instruction work in agriculture. The first is composed of 
wdiat are known as itinerant instructors, who conduct short courses 
in some subject, such as poultry keeping, dairying, bee keei)ing. etc. 
These are trained men who are thoroughly qualified for the work 
which the sulqects require. 

The second class is composed of Avhat are known as pioneer lec- 
turers, sent out by the department for the i)ur}>ose of giving a series 
of pioneer lectures upon practical agriculture — dairying, poultry 
keeping, horticulture, and kindred topics — in counties which have 
been unable to secure itinerant instructors. 

In the case of the j)ioneer lecturers the department i:)ays out of the 
funds at its disi)osal the fees and traveling exjienses of these lecturers. 
In the case of the itinei-ant instructors in agriculture, the dej^artment 
pays their full salaries, but the cost of traveling through the county 
is defrayed out of the local fund raised by the county council from 
the rate of 1 penny in the pound on the valuation of the county jiroji- 



89 

erty, siipj^iemented by at least an equal amount from the department 
funds. The salaries and expenses of all other instructors are de- 
frayed out of this joint fund, which is administered by the county 
committee. 

The itinerant instructors in agriculture are employed, as a rule, all 
the year round. In some counties, however, the instructors in poultry 
keeping, horticulture, bee keeping, etc.. are employed for nine months 
of the year only. During the winter months -the instructor is em- 
ployed five evenings in the week in lecturing. He also replies to let- 
ters from farmers in the county under his charge, who ask advice on 
matters relating to farming operations, and visits during the daytime 
farmers in the vicinity in which the lectures are held. The visits are 
made for the purpose of enabling the instructor to acquaint himself 
with the character of the farm land in the district under his charge, 
thus enabling the lecturers to select suitable land for the purpose of 
the variety and maniirial tests which they conduct during the spring 
and summer months. These visits are also of value in providing 
opportunity for farmers to consult an expert respecting the local 
difficulties which affect them. . 

The county committee is required to see that the instructor's time 
is fully and properly employed, and that a short syllal)us of each 
lecture is prepared by the lecturer and distributed among the people. 

The assistant secretary of agriculture of Ireland reports that there 
were at work on the 31st day of March, 1904, 80 county instructors 
distributed over 33 counties. The following table exhibits the char- 
acter and extent of this work : 

Number of instructors in agricxdtural subjects at work in Ireland during the year 
1903-4 and the number of lectures delivered and average attendance thereat. 



Scheme. 



Number 

of counties 

at work 



Number 
of itiner- 
ant in- 
structors. 



N umber 

of 
lectures. 



Average 
attend- 
ance. 



Agriculture 

Poultry keeping . 
Butter making.. 

Horticulture 

Bee keeping 



15 

32 

l-i 

a 14 



1,159 

3,820 

1,594 

550 

65 



"Of these, 6 gave instruction in bee keening also. 

K 

The expense for conducting this work during the year amounted to 

$152,355.24, of which amount $53,786.62 was derived from the local 
tax of 1 penny on the pound referred to, and $98,568.62 from the 
department funds. 

In addition to the courses of lectures delivered, the department 
from time to time issues leaflets on agricultural subjects. These 
leaflets are distributed free to applicants, and also to a regular mail- 



90 

ing- list of fanners whose names have been listed by the department. 
The subjects cover a varied and wide range of topics, as charlock 
spraying, fluke in sheep, wireworms, contagious abortion in cattle, 
prevention of potato blight, the use and purchase of manures, etc. 

In order that the exact character of the itinerant schools may be 
miderstood, the following schemes, taken from reports of county com- 
mittees on agriculture for the year 1904, are presented : 

Scheme of Instruction in Poultry Keeping for Itinerant Schools of Aori- 
citlture in the county of kildare. ireland. 

Mr. liMs been appointed instructor in jtoultry Iceepin.g nt a salary of 

£3 per w('('i\, with necessary expenses ot loconiotion In the county, which 
includes third-class railway fare, car hire when necessary, or a bicycle allowance 
of 2d. ])er niih' in lien thereof. 

The apiiiiiutiiicnt of the instruct<n- siiall lie terininalile at any time Iiy four 
weeks' notice in writiiifj on either side. 

DUTIES OF INSTRUCTOR. 

The instructor's duty shall be to deliver courses of lectui'es on poultry keep- 
ing, includinii the selection of breeds ; the hatching and rearing of chickens ; the 
feeding and housing of poultry generally, and the marketing of the produce; 
to visit poultry runs and give such practical advice as may he desired l)y poultry 
keepers; to inspect egg-distributing stations; to report to the department and 
to the county committee regarding the progress of his or her woi'k as may l»e 
required; and generally to give his or her whole time toward promoting 
improvement in the i)oultry keejiing in the county. 

CENTERS. 

For this purpose the county will be divided into five cii'cuits, viz, Naas. Athy, 
Carbery, Celbridge, and Kildare, each comprising not less than five centers. 

The instructor shall work for at least four weeks in each circuit, and deliver 
one lecture per week at each center during that time. 

The county connnittee shall select the centers at which the lectures will l)e 
given, and api)oint an honorary secretary and a local connnittee at each center, 
who should select the school and arrange for the hiring, lighting, and warming 
of the room in which the lectures will be given. 

These lectures' shall be arranged as far as possible to be given in schoolrooms, 
and to be held in rural centers. Unless in exceptional circumstances, no lecture 
will be arranged for in a large village or town. 

Lectures will commence in November and be continued until May. 

The county committee undertake the res])onsibility of seeing that the instrnc- 
tor's time is fully and usefuUy employed. 

DISTRIBUTION OF SETTINGS OF EGGS OF PURE BREEDS. 

There shall be offered twelve premiums of fr» each to select applicants who 
distribute at least (lO settings of eggs each ; those who distribute less will be 
paid in proportion to the number distributed. When the demand for settings of 
eggs Is not pressing the owner may set eggs for bis own use, but such settings 
of eggs will not count toward a premium. 



91 

Applicants for preininnis iinist be prepared to comply with the following condi- 
tions, viz : 

(1) To keep one pure breed of poultry only. One of the following breeds of 
hens and ducks must be selected : 

LuyiiKj b/TCf/.s'. — Minorcus, White Leghorns, Brown Leghorns. 
Geiiertil-ijurpose brccil.s. — Iloudans, Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons, Faverolles. 
Ducks. — Aylesbury, Kouen, Pekin, Indian Runner. 

(2) To sell or destroy any existing fowl on the farm of which the instructor 
or the department may disapprove, and not to In-ing on the farm fowl of any 
description without the ar)proval of the instructor or of the department. 

(3) To keep no male birds on the farm other than those used for stock pur- 
poses of the breed or breeds of fowl appro\-ed of. 

(4) When a premium is claimed for hens alone, to keep not less than 30 nor 
more than (>0 of the selected breed. If the premium is claimed in respect of 
hens and ducks, to keep not less than 20 nor more than 00 hens or pullets of the 
selected l)reed, and not less than 10 nor more than .">0 ducks of the selected l)reed. 
One cock or cockerel nnist be kei)t for every 10 bens or pullets, and 1 drake for 
every ducks. 

(5) To provide proper housing where such does not already exist. 

(6) To feed and care for the birds in such a manner and in such a way as the 
instructor and the department may require. 

(7) To supply settings of eggs from these birds to any person in the county 
at Is. per dozen, and to replace infertile eggs that are returned within one 
month from the date on which they were sent out. 

(8) To stamp all eggs given out with a stamp provided for the purpose by 
the county committee. 

(9) To keep in a special book provided by the county conunittee an accurate 
account of all eggs laid and distributed. This book must be sent to the secre- 
tary of the county committee or to the department when asked for by either 
of these bodies. The books should be returned to the secretary of the county 
committee at the end of the hatching season, which will commence on the 1st 
of .January and terminate on the 31.st of May. 

(10) To permit the instructor or the department to inspect the birds at any 
time. 

Any infringement of the above rules may entail the cancellation of the 
premium. 

An additional grant of 50 per cent of the actual cost, but in no case exceed- 
ing £2, may be made to the selected persons w4io ])rovide themselves with 
portable wooden fowl houses approved by the department. This will only 
apply to persons who are taking up the scheme in li)03-4 for the first time. 

The county committee will invite applications from persons in the county 
who already possess, or are willing to purchase, pens of the approved pure 
breeds of fowls or ducks, or to keep one or more pure-bred turkey cocks, as 
above, and who are prepared to comply with the above conditions. When these 
applications have been received the county instructor in poultry keeping will, 
as soon as possible, inspect and report to the county conunittee as to the num- 
ber of suitable applicants. The names of the selected applicants, with full 
particulars as to the breeds, number of birds, and housing, should then be 
submitted for the approval of the department, wluj may thereupon further 
inspect the selected farms and submit a list of those of which they approve to 
the county committee for their final selection. 

The county committee will not consider applications in resiiect of premiums 
under this scheme later than the 1st of December, 1903. 



92 

On account of the difficulty of procuring stock l)ir(ls of pure breeds into in liic 
season, it is recommended that selected applicants who intend to adopt tiiis 
scheme should, if possible, have all arrangements completed prior to the 1st 
of January, 1904. 

Xot later than tlie loth of June the selected applicants for premiums slioiild for 
ward to the secretary of tlie county committee the record l)ooks referred to above, 
accompanied by a statutory declaration certifying that the entries in these books 
are correct, and that all the conditions of this scheme have been complied with. 

As soon as the department are satisfied as to the fulfillment of the conditions 
of this scheme, the secretary of the county committee will be notified that pay- 
ment may be made by the connnittee of the premiums or part premiums payal)le 
under this scheme. 

Forms for the declaration required may l)e liad on api)lication to the secreary 
of the county cwnmiittee. 

TURKEY PREMHIMS. 

Five premiums of £."> are offered to jiersons who are prepared to comi)ly with 
the following conditions: 

(1) To keep one or more pnre-lired American l)ronze stock turkey codes for 
the service of turkey hens, the property of any persons residing in the county, 
at a fee of Gd. per service. Each cock must serve 20 hens, exclusive of the 
owner's. If a smaller number are served, the premium will iie proportionately 
reduced. The turkey cock will require to be at least twelve months old. and not 
less than 23 pounds in weight. 

(2) To provide proper housing accommodation, and to feed and care for the 
bird or birds in such a manner as the instructor or the de])artment may require. 

(3) To keep in a special l)ook. provided by the county committee, an accurate 
record of services. This book must lie sent to the secretary of the county eom- 
niittee or to the de])artment when required, Init otherwise retiumed to the secre- 
tary of the county committee at the end of the season, which will commence on 
the 1st of January and will terminate on the 31st of May. 

(4) To permit the instructor or the department to insj^ect the l)irds at any 
time. 

Any infringement of the above rules may entail the cancellation of the 
]ireminm. 

An applicant will be eligible for only one premium, either for hens or for hens 
and ducks combined, but he will, in addition, lie eligil»le to hold a premium for 
turkeys. No premium, however, will be given for ducks alone 

Scheme of Instruction in Butter Making for Itinerant Schools of Agri- 
culture IN THE County of Kildare, Ireland. 

DUTIES OF instructor. 

The instruction shall take the form of daily lectures on dairying. accomiJanied 
by practical instruction in butter making. 

Each course shall extend for a period of not less than two and not more than 
four weeks. Not more than 12 pupils shall lie admitted to (^ach class. Fuiiils 
nuist undertake to attend regularly. 

On the first day of visiting each center, the instructor shall give a public lec- 
ture and demonstration, and during the remainder of the course at that center 
shall conduct a class daily, in which pupils only shall take part, but which shall 
be open to the public. 



93 

These classes shall be held, as far as possible, in schoolrooms and other suita- 
ble buildings in rural centers. Unless in very exceptional circumstances no class 
shall be held in a large village or town. 

The county committee undertake the responsibility of seeing that the instruct- 
or's time is fully and usefully employed. 



For this puri)ose the county will be divided into the_^same five circuits as for 
poultry keeping. 

Instruction will commence in May and be continued through the summer. 

The county committee will select eight suitable centers at which classes will 
be held, and appoint at each center an honorary secretary and a committee, 
who will be responsible for the local arrangements necessary for the proper 
carrying out of the work, and who will be required to comply with the annexed 
conditions. 

A total sum, not exceeding £8, will be set aside for prizes, to be given to the 
most successful students at the close of the course of instruction at each center — 
three prizes of the value of 10s., Gs., and 4s., respectively, to be given at each 
center. 

CONUITIONS REQUIRED OF LOCAL COMMITTEES. 

(1) To secure premises suitable for a working daii-j-, if i)ossible not less than 
25 feet by IS feet or other dimensions affording similar Hoor space. Either a 
public room, schoolroom, or barn with a good floor would be suitable for the 
purpose. 

(2) To secure a sullicicnt supi»ly of water. 

(3) To provide on the premises means of heating at least 1.1 gallons of water 
at one time, for use in cleaning utensils, etc. 

(4) To provide sufticient milk and cream for use in the school, the local 
committee taking responsibility for the sale of butter. After the opening day 
at each center, about 3 gallons of milk and 6 gallons of cream will be required 
for each day's work. Arrangements should be made to have the milk and 
cream delivered in the morning. 

(5) To guarantee not less than G and not more than 12 pupils to attend on 
each ojf the days over which the course of instruction extends. 

(G) To arrange for the carriage of the utensils from one center to another. 
The weight of the utensils is usually from 25 to 30 hundredweight and they 
are somewhat bulky. 

List of utoi.sils of irui-cVnuj dairy school of six cliurns. 

£ s. d. 

6 end-over-end churns, at £3 18 

G butter workers, at 3Ts. Gd 11 5 

G butter boards, at 2s 12 

4 larger butter Ijoards, at 3s. Gd 14 

Gscoops, atls G 

(5 sieves, at 2s. Gd 15 

G pairs Scotch hands, at 2s. Gd 15 

G squeegees, at Is G 

G scrubbing brushes, at Is G 

G thermometers, at Is. Gd 9 

G white enameled buckets, at 5s. Gd 1 13 

6 iron buckets, at 4s. Gd 17 



94 

£ s. d. 

4 shallow tins (creaiii*), at 4s Ki 

1 pair scales 19 

1 set iron weights (7, 4, 2, 1, i, and i pound) 4 6 

1 set brass weights (2. 1, A, and i ounce) 5 6 

1 set creaniometers 6 6 

1 lactometer 1 

1 Gerber butter-fat tester (2 bottles), about 2 10 

1 two-quart measure 2 6 

4 quart measures, at Is. Od 7 

4 pint measures, at Is. 3d 5 

2 skimmers, at 8d--- 14 

1 hand separator (9 gallons per hour) : 5 10 

47 IG 10 

Scheme of Instruction in Horticulture for Itinerant Schools of Agricul- 
ture IN THE County of Kildare, Ireland. 

Mr. has been reappointed instructor in horticulture at a salary of £3 

]ier week, with expenses of locomotion in the county (third-class railway fare), 
car hire, or bicycle allowance, as in the ease of the agricultural instructor. 

His apiK)intuient shall be terminable at any time by four weeks' notice in 
writing on either side. 

duties of the instructor. 

His duties shall be to give lectures in the evenings, and personal advice to 
fruit, vegetable, and flower growers, in a similar manner to that described in 
the case of the itinerant instructor in agriculture; to visit orchards and gar- 
dens during the daytime, and to give practical demonstrations in planting, 
l)runing, grafting, etc. ; to report to the department and to the county commit- 
tee on his work, as may be required, and. generally, to give his whole time to 
the woi-k and to do all in his power to further the interests of horticulture in 
the county. 

centers. 

Centers of instruction shall be fixed by the county committee, who shall also 
determine the length of the courses of lectures at each center. 

The county has been divided in the same five circuits as for agriculture and 
l>oultry instruction. In each of these circuits one demonstration plat will be 
selected for the purpose of growing vegetables, flowers, and fruit, and showing 
improved methods of cultivation. A total sum not exceeding £36 has been set 
aside to cover the cost of seeds, manures, fruit trees, and, if necessary, fencing 
and labor, the labor, whenever pi'acticable, to be given gratuitously by the per- 
son or persons providing the plats and the produce to be the property of the 
same persons. In cases in which such an arrangement is found to be imprac- 
ticable the committee may employ hired labor, retaining the produce. 

The plat in the Celbridge district may be situated in the Union grounds, as 
these are surrounded by at least 20 cottages. The selection of the different plats 

will be made by Mr. — , subject to the approval of the committee and the 

department. 

distribution of fruit trees. 

The coaimittee may purchase fruit trees in bulk and resell to farmers and 
cottages in the county, provided no loss is incurred in the transaction. 



95 

Scheme of Instruction in Bee Keeping for Itinerant Schools of Agricul- 
tore in the county of kildare, ireland. 

An instriu'tor in bee keepin.u:, who must satisfy the deiiartment as to his 
qualifications, shall he a])i)ointed by the county committee, with the ai)proval of 
the department. Preference shall be given to local bee keepers if qualified. 

A sum of £27 has been set aside for this purpose. 

DUTIES OF THE INSTRUCTOR. 

His duties shall be: 

(1) To give instruction on the principles and practice of modern bee keeping 
by means of lectures and demonstrations at any center where ai)i)lication is 
made for his services. 

(3) To deal with bee diseases. 

(3) To give advice generally and to assist in the promotion of the industry 
in such a manner as the county committee, with the approval of the department, 
may direct. 

The examples given show the methods in operation in conducting 
itinerant schools. It is manifest that the scheme may be extended 
and adapted to include other agricidtiiral specialties as rapidly as 
the money and teachers necessary can be secured for the ])urpose. 

The system as outlined is a distinct advance upon the method of 
holding a few meetings in each county, in which a number of lecturers 
are employed to aj^pear and deliver lectures of thirty to forty min- 
utes, each lecture treating of a different topic. The new plan aims 
to do a few things well rather than many in a superficial and indif- 
ferent way. Each endeavors to develop the educational feature of 
the farmers' institute, so as to make it of i^ermanent and of direct and 
immediate use to the farming population in improving their practice. 

Provision is also made for the profitable employment of the insti- 
tute instructors during the entire year by making it their duty, in 
connection with their work as teachers, to select and recommend loca- 
tions for the carrying on of demonstration experiments throughout 
the several counties in which they work. AVhen the individuals 
who are to conduct these experiments are selected by the county com- 
mittee and have been approved by the department, the lecturer is 
expected to take charge of the work of organizing these experiment 
plats, to visit them from time to time and give advice as to their 
management, to keep records of their progress, and to report to the 
county connnittee the results. 

The experiment plats are each one-twentieth of an acre in extent. 
Subjects and methods of experiment are prescribed by the depart- 
ment. Some of these subjects experimented, u^jon in 1902 were oats, 
barley, potatoes, cheese making, calf feeding, seed testing, tobacco 
growing, flax growing, turnip growing, hay and pasture grasses, 
vegetable and fruit preserving, etc. 

The experiments in crops were chiefly manurial and variety tests, 
except that those conducted with reference to hay and pastures in- 



96 

eluded various mixtures of seeds with a view of securing the best 
varieties for these purposes. 

The county committees are also utilized by the department in its 
efforts to improve the live stock of the county, in its distribution 
of prizes, in the encouragement of agricultural fairs, in securing the 
establishment and proper conducting of creameries, and in all of its 
other operations in the interests of agriculture in the several counties. 

The county connnittee, therefore, is the executive of the entire 
system, without Avhich no part of the work could possibly be effec- 
tive. The moving force in the coimty committee is its secretary — 
a live, capable, active, and discreet secretary in every county is a 
necessity ; without this all of the machinery of the system like that 
of a locomotive without an engineer wall lie idle and useless, 
eventually to become fit only for the rubbish heap. On the other 
hand, with an effective secretary in every county the work of agri- 
cultural education and rural development will be rapidly and suc- 
cessfully advanced. 

o 



